You belong with me
by Azurelirio
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia, a high school girl, having a crush over her best buddy come across several situations while dealing with his girlfriend and while trying to keep her feelings under control. Destiny, however, had another plans. Even amidst problems, maybe love will find a way.
1. Chapter 1

_Do not worry if Natsu doesn't appear in the first half of the story. Basically written from Lucy point of view this chapter deals with her introduction and feelings. Hope you enjoy this(yet another)nalu fanfic_ _._

* * *

 _Faster_... I have to run faster! My legs were giving up but of course I didn't give a damn. I needed to get out of the place. Do hell with the lost bet. My heart was beating faster than ever as I tried to find my way in the dimly lit corridors of the haunted house.

Not a single soul came into view. Was I the only stupid who entered this fucking famous haunted house of this year's carnival?! Seems like it.

Literally running faster than the fastest runner of our school, I found myself exasperated , confused, angry and well... completely helpless! The corridors were never-ending. Sure the seniors who worked on this has not only spend money but also worked hard. Not having time to admire their work I desperately searched for an door or window or any, any exit. I just wanted the corridors to end.

It wasn't long before God listened to me cause the next thing I knew was that I crashed against something(hard) ... ouch.

A wall just had to greet me now ( in a painful way of course) and as I fell down backwards, groaning because of the impact, I felt something wet trickling down my forehead. _Correction_ , not just something ... a crimson liquid dribbled down my face that looked suspiciously like blood. Wow! I'm totally the luckiest person on earth.

First thought : I was bleeding, there was a internal damage in my brain ; second thought: I just _have_ to get out of this fucking haunted house doesn't matter if people call me a scaredy cat for the rest of my life( provided I get out of this place alive) third thought: I am going to murder Na—

Drip... drip... drop

Uh oh. My destiny had planned double trouble type situation for me, today!

Standing in front of me was a weird looking girl with teru teru doll in her hand , her face covered by a purplish mask. She was grinning like, like a predator waiting to pounce upon her prey. I couldn't help but let out a very un-ladylike shriek which even startled that girl. Her expression somewhat changed as she tried to control her laughter( failing miserably) and pointed her index finger towards the roof. I was somewhat relieved to see that I wasn't the one bleeding but the red liquid was pouring down from the plafond.

" Now now now, look what we have here! A frightened blondie?" that girl said in nasal voice , (whose voice suspiciously sounded like one of my weird friends, Juvia).

Okay I have got enough for a day. I decided to speak up, "Look, Yes you are right I am frightened to death at the moment and I really want to get the hell out of this cursed place. So please, _please_ let me get out of here."

"Sure!" she said with pleasant voice, _too_ pleasant.

I was thinking about saying thank you but was cut short by a small, disoriented thing thrown near my feet . It successfully caught my attention. Even in the bare minimum light I could make out the silhouette of that weird thing . Was it…. was it a dead cockroach or something?!

I screeched as loudly as I could when I saw it moving; definitely a very alive cockroach or a babymouse or whatever. Frantically looking around for the girl I looked around only to find….. mirrors(that reflected my frightened face)?! When did that happen?!

I started backing out when suddenly a layers of leather(?) attacked me from the ceiling. I was on the verge of crying, panic-stricken as I tried to get out of the sudden darkness that engulfed me .

" _HELP,_ anyone….. someone…"my voice gradually ceased as I finally broke down.

..

…

….

Suddenly I felt someone hug me from behind. Too tired to scream anymore, I decided I'm gonna punch this guy right on his face so that—

My plan got interrupted by a ever familiar voice..

" AAAAAAANNNNNDDDDD… the award for the most frightened , short winded , scared girl goes tooooooo..", he sang like a stupid five-year-old kid who just discovered Santa Claus's residence.

I punched him. Real _hard_.

"ow..ow…ow.."

He deserved it. Recovering from the sudden jolt, he started laughing in his signature maniac- type way. Typical Natsu. My stupid childhood best friend, on whom I might have a little crush, just a little.

"Oh come on Lucy, don't tell me you got frightened by all these stupid stuff," he went on talking as removed those leathery nets from around me. When at last I got free, I was blinded by lights flooding in from every side.

He momentarily paused, probably feeling guilty on seeing my tear-stained face. Rubbing my eyes , I turned towards him. I guess he was preparing for a run to outrun my rage but instead let out a surprised yelp when I hugged him , _tight._

He relaxed after a while, hugging me, patting on my back, " Hey there, it's fine, it's over, relax," he whispered soothingly. Alright sometimes I really hate how I can't stay angry at that pink haired boy for longer than a millisecond.

" I hate you , I really really hate you," I chanted aimlessly while he just chuckled, bringing me closer to him.

"Let's get out of here, yeah?" he suggested after a while. I nodded like an obedient kid, and followed suit when he opened a door at our right side (Hey! From where did that come from?) and proceeded outdoor.

The entire crew was standing with wicked, teasing or guilty smiles. I sighed.

"Hey everyone, give it up for Luce! She completed her dare." Natsu declared cheerfully.

There were a few thumbs up, 'good job's and 'are you okay's when suddenly someone tugged Natsu's free hand( the other being draped around my shoulder) pulling him away from me.

Lisanna, Natsu's girlfriend.

I didn't even have to look at her. I just know that if anyone can't stand Natsu being close to me then that's his insecure girlfriend.

Lisanna is a nice, beautiful girl, cheerleader, and over protective of her boyfriend. When high school started I liked her as much as others did, probably because she is Mira's sister but as time passed she created her distance from us, especially me.

When she proposed to Natsu, we were beyond shock. Sure Natsu is the baseball team captain and has a reputation which... well.. lead the girls go gaga for him but he is anything but a boyfriend material.

Sure he is handsome and caring and sweet and brave but come on, he eats like a gorilla, who was deprived of food for a week, he forgets to take bath for days(!) no flirting talent or romantic ideas and the list goes on.

He said yes to her.

That was the first time Natsu started to drift away in a way we couldn't put our hands on nor could we do anything to lessen the invisible distance created between us.

He started to ignore us for dates, late night chatting, buying gifts and in an attempt to impress her. Maybe he liked her too. I say 'maybe' cause I have never quite seen Natsu smile and laugh wholeheartedly whenever he is with her. His expressions were fake. I could tell.

She grew different too. She didn't like Natsu spending too much time with us.

She tried to keep Natsu away from us. At first when she would kiss him(and I would turn away) I thought that was a normal thing to do. It took me a while to realize that the touches, kisses increased in my presence.

She is smart. I won't be surprised to know if she realised how much I like him, in a way a best friend isn't supposed to. I am not any less smart , it took me a few weeks to learn how much she despised me.

Her shrill laughter brought me back to reality. Natsu seemed uncomfortable with her, as usual.

"Your expressions were hilarious!" Lisanna said as a matter-of-factly.

Horror struck me as I incredulously asked, "You recorded _that_?!"

She just laughed.

What I haven't yet mentioned is that I am not short-skirt or make-up inclined girl. Not that I am a nerd. But yeah, I wear glasses due to myopia, and _love_ books. Library is like a second home to me and most of the time I remain engaged in all sorts of compositions or publications.

I looked down in humiliation. Everyone is afraid of something or the other. Is it really my fault that I loathe horror/haunted things? Someone slapped my back, startling me.

"Come on guys, enough of this stupid haunted house discussion, she lost a bet, as a punishment, Cana sent her to the haunted house, she got super scared and we got deeply entertained ... now can you see the food stalls on the other sides? Let's attack them!"

It was Juvia.

"Thank you for summing that up."I deadpanned. That got a laugh.

I gave a side glance to Natsu. He _pretended_ to listen something Lisanna was rambling about.

I felt something for him I haven't felt in long, long time. _Sympathy_.

I sighed for yet another time for that night as we made our way to satisfy the dying whales in our stomachs. We were seriously hungry after that tiring day at carnival.

So yeah that's pretty much my life. Liking a my best friend who has a beautiful girlfriend, too often being teased by my friends, missing my mother every single day( she kinda left, _forever,_ when I was four) longing for my father's attention and worrying about the upcoming tests.

I half expected my life to continue like this.

Little did I know about that storm that was yet to come.

* * *

Okay I know Juvia is acting out of character but I like her this way much better than the 'oh my Gray-sama' type Juvia. Next chapter will contain hella lot more interactions between the two main love birds of this story.I am apologizing, beforehand , for any kind of mistakes cause English is not my first language. Stay tuned for more!


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you so much for reviews, adding this story to your favourites' list and following it. Guess you already figured out this is my attempt in the world of fandom and even one way of appreciation means a lot to me. Alright folks, let the second chapter unwind!_

* * *

The winter holidays weren't that great. Natsu's enthusiasm was irritating at times but now that he doesn't have time for us, we realize how much we depend on his cheerfulness.

Gray and Gajeel used to tease Natsu a lot about being an introvert when it comes to girls (although Gajeel is no better).There was a time while playing 'spin the bottle' Natsu took up dare and Cana challenged him to kiss me.

As much as I wanted that to happen, the suddenness of the situation took me off guard. Without thinking I shoved Happy(his pet cat) towards his face when he leaned in. That was embarrassing in a way and hilarious in another.

Sometimes I wonder whether he simply decided to be in a relationship to avoid any such further circumstances and teasing or because he really like her.

Well if the reason is the former one, it worked. I didn't see the boys pulling his leg anymore. Hell, they didn't even interact with him in the same frank, friendly manner as always. His absence in important meetings, hangouts or tournaments due to silly and Lisanna-related reasons gradually resulted in our disinterest of even inviting him.

So, when one wintry morning he showed up in my apartment, without any warning, with a stupid grin plastered on his face, to say I was surprised would be an understatement.

He had this backpack with him and it took me a few seconds to realize why he was here. The winter holidays almost came to an end and he hadn't completed his homework. His sheepish smile made me doubt whether he even started anything. A few questions later my suspicions were confirmed. Of course.

"You already ate breakfast?" he enquired looking towards the kitchen. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"No, but how about a deal..? You complete your homework, _fast_ and I get a new dishes for you?" Now that will work, with great efficiency.

He looked at me sceptically. "Fineee, one subject down, and you get to satisfy your abnormal appetite with new flavours," I finally added.

Instead of retorting or complaining, he simply cheered like a child who has been offered free candies for a lifetime.

Four hours of intense arguing, frequent smacks and food fights later we found ourselves heaving and thoroughly tired. We completed _his_ homework successfully.

I half-expected him to leave immediately after that since his work was done. Others may think he is using me cause he actually shows up when he is in trouble. But I know him from the middle of middle school, long enough to know how much he values his friends.

Whatever be the reasons behind his recent disregard in our matters, I just know esteems us, misses us. His eyes reflect every emotion and I just happen to be a Natsu's-eyes-reading expert.

He decided to stay for a little longer.

Instead of watching Netflix or action thrillers, he startled me by asking, "Hey Luce, do have the albums from your childhood or our middle school?" Oh man, this boy is full of surprises.

I dumbly nodded.

" Great! mind handing them over to me for a while?"

I did as he said and that afternoon when the sky turned from blue to bright yellow, then a mixture of purple and orange, we sat there, turning over the album pages, cherishing our childhood memories.

I could see something in his eyes that closely resembled _longing_. Longing for what? Friends? Fun? Warmth of the presence of loved ones? Then why did he avoid us in the first place?!

I could ask him the questions. I didn't. One of the reasons why he is so comfortable with me. I never judged his decisions, never questioned him.

Whenever he got time, he would sneak up on me, without the knowledge of our friends (not frequently, but he would come to visit me, occasionally, and even that meant a lot) . Guess he doesn't find this comfort in anyone else's presence.

I could have cross-examined him for his sudden appearances, which Erza (our student council president and a very old friend) does often. But, I simply adore the idea of spending time with him. You can get the idea why.

Maybe that's why when he leaves, promising to see me soon, I hear this nagging voice in my head that tells me what a terrible liar is my friend.

I didn't see him for the rest of the vacation.

* * *

School resumed the daily activities of torturing us a week later.

I was late for school and if I told them that blame Dan Brown for the delay, they would surely kick me out.

Something like this happened— The previous night I was engrossed in reading 'Angels And Demons' and with such awesome narration, suspense and gripping a story, it's understandable why I couldn't keep the book away; it kept me awake till three in the morning(!).

I got up eight o'clock. School starts at eight thirty. I was rushing around the perimeter of my apartment, desperately performing multi-tasks, in an attempt to reach my destination on time.

Fortunately, it was sunny day, so the wintry winds had a disadvantage while disturbing the public. When at last I dashed into the class(8:40am), almost breaking the door in the process I stumbled upon the door frame, crashing into something, or rather _someone_.

Who the hell was standing in front of the door after the class started?!

There was a sudden eruption of whispers in the class on my entry which gradually died down. I looked up to see whom I crashed into, hoping that the student was late too. When our eyes connected, the deepness of his blue eyes surprised me considerably. I have never seen such a shade of bluish hue.

I realized that he was holding my right hand, supporting me, so that my head doesn't suffer a 'mind-blowing' collision against the nearby book stand. I didn't know him. Wow. Straightening up, I looked around the class to realize first time ever that I didn't even know at least forty percent of my class populace. How embarrassing!

"Hey there, you okay blondie?"his voice was deep.

My eyes snapped up to his head. He had blonde hair too. How dare he!

With the fear playing in mind that if I insult someone after coming late, I would be given detention for a considerably prolonged period, I settled for, " Y-Yeah." Now that totally sounded like me.

Dusting off the invisible dirt from my skirt, I searched for our homeroom teacher, looking past the blond boy's shoulder. Either he was too tall or Mr. Gildarts Clive, our homeroom teacher, hadn't showed up yet cause I couldn't really find him. Great.

Sighing( and deciding not to make fun of my image anymore, before him, cause he was kinda, by a teenager's description, you know, hot) I made my way to my seat.

It took me a while to realize that the entire class was staring at me, as if waiting to listen to a speech with rapt attention.

"What happened? Who died?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

That boy gave me a funny look while soft giggles filled the class.

"I m-mean I'm sorry, but why is e-everyone staring a-at me?" I asked to no one in particular, hesitation lurking in my voice.

" Well not only did you come late but also straight away went to your seat, without any apologies or excuses!" came a voice that I knew too well. _Oh_ _shit_. Was he hiding under the table or something?!

As if sensing my thoughts, " You know, these papers suddenly decided to taste dirt and I was explaining how unhealthy that is," he declared holding up a pile of loose sheets in his hand, leaving no room for my stupid enquiries to diverse from the topic.

Well, at least now I know the secret behind Cana's super-accurate guessing powers. Damn genes. The entire Clive-clan consists of a bunch of mind readers.

" Um.. sir actually.." I began.

" Speak the truth." He cut me off before I could make a believable excuse.

" I was reading story books up till quite late last night ," I declared, without stammering.

Gildarts gave me a dubious look, sighing, declaring that such childish reasons won't be entertained further. He knew me well enough to know I wasn't lying about it. When the anticipated detention slip wasn't handed over to me I was literally beaming with joy.

However, before starting the class he made a few announcements:

" I am repeating this for you," he said glaring at me, " Meet the new transfer students, Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney." I could help but notice the striking dissimilarities between them.

I wondered why he 'repeated that for me'.

That Stringcliff guy (? I am totally suffering from short term memory loss) took a seat at my right side while the other one behind him.

"Hi!" the blonde haired guy suddenly spoke up, startling me.

" H-hi, hi me?" came my unintelligent query.

He laughed. He has a beautiful laugh. Okay, that was unnecessary.

"Yeah, um.. can I get your name, miss?"

Ambivalently, I replied, " Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia."

"Nice to meet ya," he proclaimed gleefully.

His attitude somewhat reminds me of Natsu. Speaking of Natsu, where is he?! My eyes dutifully scanned the whole room in superhuman speed, finding him sitting in far corner of the room with his eyes strained on stringcliff. I wondered why...

I could feel that transfer student's stare on me. Did I look any different from normal human beings? Did I grow horns? Never mind. Weird people, weirder behaviour.

When the class got over Gildarts asked me along with the transfer students, to stay back. A few minutes of silence and quick glances later, he suddenly started—

"Since you aren't getting any detention, your job is to look after these new students—"

(so he considered that a sort of punishment? I didn't dare ask.)

"—tell the rules and regulations of this institution, give them proper idea- wait, do _you_ even know the rules?"

I fidgeted nervously. Sighing, he continued, " Never mind, look to their schedule and give them proper ideas about their classes' whereabouts, I don't want them to get lost and... take them to Principal's office once, he has important documentary to deliver, and... well, take care of them as your long lost siblings!" he announced with child-like glee.

I gave him a are-you-serious look. He nodded. He is definitely a mind reader, I'm sure of it!

I wondered why he gave the duty to me. Walking out I felt someone slap my back. It was that stringcliff guy. " Wow missy, I didn't expected a beauty like you to be our guide."

Not even one minute has passed and this guy was getting on my nerves.

"Look mister— " I started in an exasperated tone.

"Sting." So that's his name!

"Yeah, Sting I'm just providing you temporary assistance but if you do not _behave_ , I'm afraid you'll have to suffer, _badly_."

He flinched with a 'ouch'.

Later that day I found myself so damn exhausted ( after entertaining every silly enquiry of the blond transfer)that I decided to cancel my plans with Levy to visit the new book store. I need to take a break. Sneaking up to the rooftop was no big deal. What I didn't expect was someone else's presence there. Naturally, Cana or Gajeel would come to the terrace but at this hour? It was the fifth period and both of them had physics, a subject which neither of them will miss, due to specific reasons.

"Who's there— OH MY GOD, I'M SO SO SO SORRY! I'LL JUST LEAVE.. PLEASE EXCUSE ME!"

Up there, Rogue Cheney( I remember his name!) was making out with a white-haired chick and I just happened to walk into them. Just awesome. I ran downstairs in lightening speed, missed the last few stairs, collided with a poor soul. What's up with the stumbling business today?!

" Ow.. blondie, watch where you're going!" It was Sting. Fan-freaking-tastic. Should I tell him?

"Hey you alright there? You kinda look pale..." he trailed off. Hearing approaching footsteps, I took him(actually dragged him) away, towards a deserted corridor.

I let out a nervous laugh, " Well, you see I went to rooftop...I swear I didn't meant to interfere! But your friend was.. you know.. there with a girl and I just.. Oh my goodness... trust me I didn't mean it or—"

He started laughing, _uncontrollably_. I guess he already had a crystal clear idea of what was going on.

Blushing furiously, out of embarrassment, I started, "Look I really didn't mean it... why would I interfere in a stranger's love issues?! Wait , is that even allowed is school campus?! Such indecency is strictly prohibited..." I didn't realize I was rambling until Sting stopped me.

"Whoa...whoa.. calm down Lucy. That girl is a transfer too, Yukino Aguria, a friend of ours and well.. I guess you already figured out that she is Rogue's girlfriend. And please, please for heaven's sake don't tell anyone about _this_ ... I'll talk to them."

A few moments of intense staring contest later, I sighed, nodding.

"Great!" He was literally jumping, "So mind accompanying me to the parking lot?"

School is over already?

"Yeah."

Oops. Did I say that aloud?

Sighing for the umpteenth time that day I made my way to my car(Sting trailing close behind).

On reaching my car, he waved, cheerfully quoting " 'kay then, see ya later!" before disappearing amidst the increasing crowd of students. That was a tiresome day.

Planning to take a hot bath, complete assignments and take a long, long nap, I climbed up the stairs of my building. When I reached my apartment( in fourth floor) I was taken aback by a boy standing in front of my door, wearing a black jacket, along with a matching beanie cap.

I was of course frightened but just the moment I decided to scream, he turned around. It was Natsu.

I gave him a quizzical look but before I could ask anything he shoved a photo into my palm.

"Making friends with strangers isn't really a good thing, Luce." There was venom in his voice.

"Wha—"

"Sting. You were so busy that you didn't even join us during recess."

Oh. _Oh_.

Before I could ask him anything else, he left, leaving me utterly confused. Shrugging, I opened the folded photo.

It was a photo of Sting and his friends, during a match I guess. What really caught my attention was their jersey with a name, I vaguely recall.

 _Sabertooth_.

Not that I know much about them but, more or less, this name is known to every member of Fairy High. Often the boys discussed strategies to defeat this school in matches and competitions. They are our rivals. The tigers who abhorred us, the fairies.

Now that I think about it, I realize except me, not much students have come forth to make acquaintance with the transfers, which is kind of strange since there are a lot of 'over-friendly' people in our school.

Judging Natsu's behaviour, I came to the conclusion that neither he nor our friends liked the idea of fraternizing with Sting or any of his associates.

If the rivalry was still so fierce, why did they join us in the first place?! Argh.. damn problems in this problematic life.

Deciding not to ponder upon these things anymore, I did everything to distract myself from the thoughts regarding Sabertooth. Even after that I don't know why I had this bad feeling about the enmity between the two parties.

* * *

 **Of course the conflict is between two people and not parties. No need to worry about Sting and Lucy. This is a Nalu fanfic and Sting is just a catalyst. I was thinking of writing a chapter from Natsu's point of view next time... but then again I don't know whether you guys will like it or not(cause I have got a feeling that I'm gonna suck at it, since I'm a girl).**

 **I have already formed the outline of my next story, hoping you're gonna enjoy it.**

 **Anyways, Thank you again for your support and I hope you understand that it's your encouragement that keeps me going. So I am looking forward to your opinions about this fic! See ya soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

_So I was kinda re-reading the previous chapter, realizing that it was a bit boring and I'm diverging from Nalu. I was just so damn excited that I couldn't stop myself from updating. This chapter may have taken longer but I have really tried to make it was worth the wait. The rest is up to you, readers. Enjoy!_

* * *

It has been more than a month since they transferred and no matter how much I tried to avoid Sting, I couldn't. Most of the times he would show up with problems regarding campus rules or studies and since our beloved teacher gave me the responsibility of their welfare, I couldn't say no to him. Rogue, however was different by a large extent. He always wears an expressionless face and never interferes in anyone's business.

Nevertheless, I like them. They are not as bad as I expected them to be. In fact I enjoy their company. They even invited me to a small party held at a cafe, on a random weekend, where I met the other members of Sabertooth— Rufus Lore (Loke's twin in the field of flirting), Orga Nanagear (looks as scary as Laxus) and Minerva Orlando ( I don't normally say this but she was a bitch. Thank god she left the party within half an hour cause she had 'important business to attend to').

They were no different from us— horrible singing, hilarious dancing, mischievous teasings... in a way it was really fun. There were rumours afloat that _Sabertooth_ cheated during a baseball match against our team but after mingling with them it's kinda hard to believe.

Even my friends started to socialize with them after a while. There were matches, meetings and even group studies. For the first few days, my friends were sceptical about their motives but I guess, as time passed, they understood as well that Sting and Co. belonged to the category of nice and agreeable people. However, things were different for Natsu. He never could bring himself to interact with the new additions. As far as I know him, he is one of the most sociable person, but he had a completely different aura around them.

Despite the prevailing (hidden) tension, I hoped the boys would get along quite well. Oh goodness, who knew I would be proven so horribly wrong.

* * *

It was a Saturday night when I returned home after watching a movie, _with_ _Sting_. It so happened, Rogue ditched him just that morning and he was literally crying over phone, begging me to come with him. I agreed after a few hesitant refusals. It was fun with him... and much to my surprise I _love_ his company nowadays.

It was quite late at night when we returned and even after assuring Sting that I will be fine on my own, he decided to tag along, saying that a gentleman like him would never ever let a lady travel alone at night.

So we ended up together in front of my building at the dead of night. The streets were quite deserted when we were on our way home, or rather _my_ _home_ and with a quick inspection around, I concluded that it is really unsafe for an individual to traverse through the isolated alleys spread across the city. Then again, I knew Sting was strong enough to handle himself.

Looking back to Sting I noticed he was closely observing the building and the neighbourhood.

"Planning a robbery, dear friend?"

That brought him back to reality from the queer thoughts processing in his mind. He let out a chuckle, shaking his head and giving that ever-familiar look of are-you-crazy? (yeah, he often gave me that look).

Before he could speak another word I offered him to visit my apartment. He gave me a dubious look quoting, "Shouldn't I be headed home now?"

Yeah but you came all the way here to drop me and it'll be really rude if I don't invite you up there. As if I am gonna say that.

"So I assume that you don't need an ice-cream treat?"

That did the work. His face lit up like a Christmas tree and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. However, things didn't go as per plans. By plans I mean those intelligent ideas that occurred to me in that dire situation, of which Sting hadn't the slightest clue.

I hoped to buy some time so that I could inform Rogue about the situation and tell him to come and pick him up. Much to my dismay, when I dialled his number (after engaging Sting in choosing his favourite flavour) he didn't pick up his phone, _twice_.

When the third time, he at last received the phone, all I could hear was random voices amidst a commotion and after a few seconds Rogue spoke up, "Hey there, whoever you're... call me later, quite busy and if you're a friend of mine don't worry about the background noises, I'm fine, just dealing with the first case of rejection of a friend." Then a long beep. Typical Rogue, as formal as ever.

Assuming that the 'buddy' was none other than Rufus, I sighed, heading back to the dining room only to find Sting with his mouth filled with ice-cream, but it seemed that in an attempt to taste every type, he messed up pretty bad. He looked _hilarious_.

There was a priceless expression on his face— his eyes wide, mouth agape, hands frozen, just like a deer caught in headlights. When I failed to control my laughter, he came back to his senses, flushing bright pink and coughing awkwardly.

"A-actually I w-was just, you know, c-choosing, yeah right, choosing... but how can I know which tastes best w-without tasting them?!"

Oh lord. Never did I think I have to encounter a stammering Sting. My laughs refuse to cease. After a few more moments with Sting giving me an I-am-not-at-fault look, he cleared his throat, probably a threat in his language. I finally gained control over myself, waving my hand, " That's just fine... so did you pick at last?"

Instead of answering, the blonde genius's eyes shifted somewhere right to where I was standing. " Whoa... is that yooouu with your family... ?"

He was pointing towards a photograph of our little family when I was still little. It was years back. He continued to talk, " Wow, you guys look like a pretty happy family!" I couldn't say anything, heck I can't even recall most of my childhood.

I remained silent. Sensing my discomfort, he switched to another topics, "Hey! You play video games?!" He exclaimed suddenly, pointing towards the wooden shelf where I dumped all the DVDs.

"Y-yeah...sometimes?" My hesitant voice replied.

It was a lie though. I only played video games with Natsu.

Putting aside those memories with my best buddy, I offered, " Wanna play..?" Wow. That was a HUGE mistake.

He agreed. Of course. Picking a random game from the array of CDs, he made himself comfortable in the couch, busy choosing a name for his representative in the game.

"I'm sorry Sting but I really think you should head back. It's quite late."

He glanced at me, instinctively his eyes shifting to the clock thereafter, which was on the other side of the room. 11:30 pm. Realizing it was quite late indeed, he let out a long sigh. He was just about to get up when the screen in front of him declared merrily ' LOADING COMPLETED. PLAYERS READY.'

His eyes were literally sparkling when he looked at me expectantly. It was my turn to sigh. Before I could protest he pleaded, " Just one match, pleeaassee?"

I gave a hard stare. When his determination didn't falter, I decided on something like this, "Fineee, but just one game, okay?"

Great. Why the hell am I making such mistakes when I know there will consequences? Did I crave for his company? It's true I have fun with Sting but isn't craving his presence nearby going too far? What the hell is happening to me?

He pulled my hand roughly dragging me to the couch, handling me the controller. We started playing and before I knew it we had gone to the mode of aggressive competitiveness. When he lost the game I let out a 'Ha Ha' so loud that he jumped to the other side. I laughed seeing his horrified face while he pondered upon the reason behind his loss.

When I decided that was enough for one day and Sting should really leave, he pouted demanding another match. What is he? A five-year-old kid?!

He refused to hear any of my protests as he sat immovably on the couch with the controller in his hand, eyes strained on the screen. I stared at him incredulously. He simply _ignored_ that.

Argh. I take back every (good) thing I said about him. I hate him. Yup, that's right.

I took my position, angrily (which didn't seem to bother Sting at all!) and thus began our re-match. Before I knew what was happening, I got engrossed in the game soooo damn much that not only did I lost count of the number of matches but also forgot about my surroundings completely.

When my fingers ached for some rest I finally decided to give it a break. Looking towards the clock, however, has not been very pleasant for me.

1:54am.

Finished. I'm totally finished.

When Sting did the same, his expressions were much calmer than mine. He stretched his limbs before heading towards the bathroom declaring, "Alright, I think I should leave now."

"It's the not the way out." I said as a matter-of-factly.

"R-really?" he asked, sleepily, rubbing his eyes. By the way, he didn't look adorable while doing that. Nope, not at all.

"Okay then.." yawn, "that's the way out?" he asked pointing towards my bedroom.

I sighed, "Do you live with your parents?"

That caught him off guard as he regained his composure somehow before uttering a 'No'.

"You can crash here."

Kill me.

"Really?" he had the most hopeful expression I have ever encountered.

Yeah I have known you for five weeks or so and during that time I came to the conclusion that you're not really a murderer and it's not like you've a gun with you right now so why not?

However, I settled for, "I don't want you to get sexually harassed or get kidnapped." I was glancing towards the window when he made his way to my bedroom with a loud 'Great!'.

Pulling him by his collar, I asked, "Whoa young man, where the hell do you think you're going?!"

"To bed? For sleeping.."

I was sure a vein visibly popped in my forehead while I replied (obviously pissed off), "When I say you can crash in here I mean you can sleep on that divan and I go to my bedroom and have a peaceful sleep _, without any interference_!"

Sting visibly flinched, nodding obediently before making himself comfortable on the small divan bed located at the far end of the drawing room.

That night I didn't lock my room despite the fact that a teenage boy whom I met barely a month back was just in the adjoining room. Sure there had been sleepovers before but except Levy this is the first time I have let a single person stay the night in my house. It felt different. When I voluntarily offered him to stay I didn't feel any anticipation but during the night I couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions, fear as well as delight, anxiety as well as glee. I don't know but why I didn't quite like the recent changes.

* * *

The morning, however, came with a bunch of unexpected events. My ever-trusted alarm clock didn't wake me up.

Vigorous knocking on the entrance door did.

Oh god. Who the hell decided to make an appearance at six o'clock in the morning?!

Stretching my limbs and yawning drowsily I made my way to the closet for grabbing a jacket before heading out as it was still chilly in the mornings. Putting the cloth on, I muttered a 'coming!' but immediately stopped in my tracks realizing someone already opened the door. Wait, was there someone else in my house?! Rubbing my eyes I tried to look around with a clearer vision, my senses regaining alertness.

The first thing that my eyes witnessed, on coming out of the bedroom, was the messy divan and then there was the sound of recognizable voices from around the corner, from near the doorway. Almost in a millisecond all the incidents that took place last night flooded into my mind.

 _Sting_.

Sting was here. Oh yeah, that's right. I offered him to stay back.

I sighed, relieved much, when the thoughts of presence of a murderer or burglar in my house didn't gain grounds. But my relief was short-lived as the next thing I knew was a loud thud from around the corner. I hurried my way round the perimeter of the small room only to discover a wincing and groaning Sting, muttering cursed words and rubbing the back of his head. He was lying, scratch that, _thrown_ to the ground by my visitor.

My eyes snapped towards the door immediately and as my eyes met the another pair, of onyx ones, I could feel my blood run cold.

It was Natsu.

Oh my god. I'm dead. Oh so dead.

"What the hell is he doing here?" the rage in his voice was terrifying. I shuddered under his hard gaze as my throat dried up.

"My god, Luce, I'm asking you a question. What the fuck is he doing at your house so early in the morning? He had slept here last night, hasn't he?" his voice dropped down, making his anger more obvious. He made his way towards the blonde teen, shoving him towards the nearest wall, his grip tightening around Sting's collar as the other boy hissed.

I have to do something, say something NOW before he misunderstands the whole situation.

Finding my voice, I started, "Look look look, calm down Natsu, for heaven's sake just calm down. I can explain the whole situation. Leave Sting. He has done nothing wrong."

Taking Sting's side at such an hour. Great. Now I've made him even more annoyed.

Instead of 'leaving him' he shoved him aside (again), roughly much, as Sting's back collided with the door frame. He winced but didn't say anything, giving Natsu an annoying look before straightening up, fixing his shirt.

On the other hand, Natsu's eyes were _burning_.

 _Calm down. Calm down. It's just Natsu. One of your oldest, dearest friends_.

When my own words failed to convince me, calm me, I took a deep breath before starting—

" L-last night we went to see this r-really cool movie.." my voice was a few decibels above a whisper as he raised his eyebrow in question.

" You went to the movie, _with_ _him_? _Alone_?" Okay, I knew that tone. He was seriously pissed off.

I let out a shaky laugh before continuing, " Well.. technically _we_ are two people in the first place.. so.."

"Come to the point."

"Yeah r-right .. my point is last night we really came late and I offered him ice-cream just at the moment he decided to leave... he came up to my apartment... um.. asked about video games... and well we started playing videogames after a while.. lost track of time and I offered him to stayinmyhousebeacuseitwasquitelate..." and my voice faded into nothingness.

I don't remember the last time I lost my cool so badly, so humiliatingly.

After a never-ending period of deafening silence, I heard Natsu sigh.

"So it was nothing more than that?"

Relief flooded into my system as looked up at him optimistically.

"Of course not!... wait to what type of conclusions were you exactly jumping into?"

Natsu wasn't listening to me anymore though. He made his way towards Sting who was watching the entire scene unfold with a bemused expression.

I heard Natsu mutter something when he was close enough that suspiciously sounded like "Stay away from her."

He was just about to slam the door on Sting's face when he stopped him. Sting wasn't quite pleased with Natsu's sudden appearance and childish interference. It was evident from the look in his eyes.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Her guardian? Brother? _Boyfriend_? Who exactly gave you the right to cross-examine her that way?! She is a grown up lady and knows what she's doing. With or without your supervision, she can lead her life, quite well, quite safely!"

We both were taken aback by the sudden outburst. I knew Natsu wasn't prying or anything but he was genuinely concerned. I can say this so confidently cause it's not the first time something like this happened. There had been instances when he prevented me from accepting food from a stranger (and mind you, that's really a great deal of matter as Natsu never ever says no to food, edible or not!) assuming that it was unsafe for _me_ and then there was a time when he broke out a really gruesome fight with the most avoided and dangerous group whose leader was a guy named Cobra when he came to know that a member of their team had injured me.

So yeah... since like forever Natsu has been watching my back and even today when he demanded an explanation, I simply told him everything not because he looked scary at the moment or that I was frightened but because I knew he deserved to know about the whereabouts of his best friend.

 _No one has ever questioned him in this matter ever before._

Sting was oh so in grave, grave danger. He really ventured into the wrong path, so damn confidently!

Natsu's reaction was however calmer than I expected (well I expected him to burn the poor boy down alive, but never mind)

He simply replied, "It's because I care about my friends and it's my duty to—"

Sting didn't let him finish.

"Oh yeah? I don't really think so cause for the last goddamn month I have been trying to make friends with you but you are clearly not interested as you think that Sabertooth people are nothing but a bunch of despicable, dishonest delinquents!"

I audibly gasped, surprised much, partly because of what he thought of Natsu, partly because of the flawless use of alliteration, which he did quite unknowingly (now you understand how much am I into literary stuff to have noticed the trivial use of a figure of speech at such an hour).

Natsu's eyes widened as well. He was going to retort when Sting stopped him yet again.

"And care about your friends you say? Does your concern come into action when your friends dare to have fun without you?! Cause for the last one month I am watching how deliberately you avoid your _friends_ when they are in need and how smoothly you change your demeanour when the matter comes to your urgency!"

Okay. Enough. He knew nothing about Natsu. At this point I could feel my anger building up, which was obviously directed towards Sting.

Natsu, however, stood frozen in his spot. His eyes dilated even more and he had this strange expression that closely resembled something that involved realization, as if he knew what Sting was talking about.

"That's enough Sting, you just can't jump to groundless conclusions because he dared to question my activities or simply because you don't like him." My voice came out bolder than I expected it to be.

Sting's eyes held a furious gaze as he incredulously asked, "Oh yeah? Groundless conclusions you say? I don't really think so _Luce_ cause the last time you needed help in chemistry before the class tests, Natsu ditched you on the grounds that he had baseball practise while that day I saw him hanging out with that Lisanna chick in the supermarket... whereas when he needed help regarding the Shakespearian drama you agreed instantly.."

"Were you spying on us or something?!"I asked, my voice laced with incredulity.

He let out a bitter laugh, "Spying isn't really necessary. It's just so obvious."

Silence.

"Sting, Natsu had his reasons for anything he did. You don't understand what you're saying. He must have made plans with someone else before I had asked for help or something and he never quite break his promises. This is nothing but an annoying misunderstanding. I think you should leave this time Sting, see ya in school tomorrow. We will talk about this later." I replied quite calmly. Now that was a wise decision.

I shot him an apologetic look before leading him outside hastily whispering promises to clear out the misunderstandings soon. Sting was disappointed at me though. I could feel it. I really felt like slamming my face into a nearby wall when he left without saying a word, without glancing back. I knew that I was angry at him but I never wanted our friendship to be affected anyhow.

Sighing dejectedly, I made my way to the living room. Natsu was standing there with a weird gloomy posture, as if remembering about his past sins and pondering the ways to repent. The scenario was not at all Natsu-type.

I smacked him in the head. Before he could protest I hugged him. I knew that he needed that.

"I'm so so so sorry, Natsu. Sting... he is a good guy. It's just that he lost his temper. Please.. _please_ don't be angry."

He stood frozen for a while before relaxing into my arms, nodding slightly.

I was the one to break the hug, "And listen up you stupid boy, Sting is just a good friend, nothing less and definitely nothing more, remember that, okay?"

He wasn't looking at me, probably trying to convey the message that the white marble floor was a lot more interesting than my words.

My hands made their way to his frowning face, forcing him to look at me, "You're still my best buddy, and yes, you do have the right to know about my random plans. I know you, I know you enough to understand that you'll never hurt your friends. Do. Not. Brood. Over. Such. A. Stupid. Subject!"

I tried my best to sound convincing. When he nodded slightly, not to mention dubiously, I slapped his cheeks _hard_ instructing him to look into my eyes properly. He was startled(of course) but when I repeated my words, this time, he seemed to grasp them. He looked so relieved afterwards, much to my satisfaction.

"So why are you here in the first place?"

That seemed to catch his attention quite quickly. His bright expressions were similar to that of an amnesiac who just remembered where he had kept his gold coins.

"I was going to Magnolia."

Oh.

 _Oh_.

"Wait, was?!"

"I came here to ask you to... come with me.. but—" His smile seemed to falter.

"I'm coming!" I blurted out without a moment's hesitation.

Magnolia. Natsu's home town. He shares an apartment with his childhood frienemy, Gray Fullbuster (who happens to be another weird guy with the strangest habit of _unintentional_ stripping) here, in this city of Fiore. He has been here since middle school, when he used to stay in school dorms but soon found the place too boring for his liking with the imposition of too many rules and regulations. The moment he passed out, preparing to join high school he decided to rent his own apartment (partially inspired by me).

Igneel Dragneel and Silver Fullbuster were not only schoolmates but also very close friends (this conclusion has been drawn excluding the fact that they tried to kill each other more than a dozen of times during their youth and never missed a single chance to fight even as grownups).

The wise men thereafter decided not only to pass on their rivalry but also give the two reckless teens full power and access to exhibit their talents in stupid baseless bickering and fighting by putting them in the same apartment. This is how two most incompatible people ended up as room-mates. (The real reason was their safety but I find this logic far more suitable because come on! I am a _girl_ and can manage my apartment without anyone's support).

Natsu, however, never let the few kilometres between him and his family bother him. We were quite busy during winter vacations due to the pressure of assignment completions and project submissions. He has been sulking for a while now cause he practically goes to see his family every weekend (well almost every weekend now because as a responsible boyfriend, he can't really say no to Lisanna's movie or shopping plans which mostly revolve around Saturday nights).

Now that I think about it, actually it has been a while since his last visit. And I just happen to know about his every visit since he literally forces me (he has unofficially kidnapped me, _twice_ ) to come along as 'it's boring to travel alone'.

Natsu's sudden intervention in my thought processes brought me back to reality.

"You sure you're coming?" his eyes shined with hope.

 _As if I could refuse him._

I grinned, stupidly, nodding rapidly. He looked much relieved, smiling back at me.

He made his way towards the windows, separating the couple of curtains which were blocking the first rays of sunlight from entering my small nest. He tilted his head ever-so-slightly declaring, "Alright Luce, you've got twenty minutes to get ready and pack everything!"

Resisting the urge, coursing through every fibre in my body, to punch him till he loses consciousness, I merely laughed at his (ridiculous) mood swings.

"Come on! It's still early! It just takes two hours to cover the distance... why in such a hurry?"

"Cause we are gonna walk to our destination!"

 _Ah_. His hopeless motion sickness.

. . . . . . . .

I didn't even _try_ to hold back the instinctive roll of eyes, "For the umpteenth time Natsu.. we are taking the train... no matter what. We are definitely not walking through the entire journey!"

Ignoring his futile attempts of protests, I made my way to the bedroom, a small smile plastered on my face, excited to meet Grandine, Igneel and of course Natsu's super cute sister, Wendy. Somewhere at the back of my mind I was really worried about Sting but I just wanted to enjoy the few uninterrupted moments with Natsu. I say uninterrupted cause Lisanna never quite accompanies him as she either remains busy the Strauss siblings or her planned out schedules and most of my other friends have their own families to visit.

Alright, I didn't mean to sound helpless and lonely but I wish I could also look forward to go to my house, to my father.

Almost inaudibly humming to myself, I started packing up. Although it's for just one day, I always look forward to these visits. Their happiness, laughter, cheerfulness is really contagious. They treat me in such warm way that I can't help but feel that I'm a part of that family.

Things like talking to Sting, being irritated by Lisanna could wait. For now, I could just focus on enjoying with my best buddy, just like the old times.

* * *

 **Phew. That took longer than I expected. I'm so sorry for the delay, guys. Life has been super busy. However, summer vacations are coming up and hopefully I would be updating faster.**

 **Coming back to the story, two reasons why I didn't include their time in Magnolia here in this chapter— first, a fear was playing in my mind that if I delay updating any further, you guys are seriously gonna kill me or at the very least yell at me like anything and second I wanted to keep the nalu moments reserved for a fresh chapter.**

 **Hope you guys liked it! Thanks for all your support.**

 **Stay tuned!;)**


	4. Chapter 4

_So yeah... I have a lot of excuses but I know that you guys are more interested in the story, so here we go!_

* * *

Although the winds held an icy touch, everyone could feel the new warmth spreading across the city as summer was planning to set in. The loveliest season, spring, was busy pleasing everyone, in its full glory. The most suitable time of the year for travelling, right?

Deciding to stay as casual as possible, I chose a random sundress from the pile clothing in my closet. Flowery designs on white silk, quarter sleeve, knee high, neither would I feel cold nor hot. Perfect.

I avoid wearing glasses while travelling cause handling them proves to be problematic, especially when you are going to visit a family consisting of some over-zealous men. I could hear Natsu grumble incoherently from outside the door, probably telling me to hurry up.

Dumping random stuff in my bag I hurried my way round to the living room to find an excited  
salmon-haired teen near the doorway, probably preparing for a mad dash the moment he would see me ready for the journey. My giggles caught his attention as his legs automatically started to jog, and he dashed out in less than a millisecond yelling something about picking up Happy and that he would meet me at the station within ten minutes.

Oh goodness. Why the hell didn't he come with Happy in the first place?! He better not is planning to ditch me. Then again I knew he was just trying to worn himself out so that he falls asleep the moment he enters the train compartment. He has never been fond of travelling in vehicles but he loves adventures, a lot( that naturally revolves around ditching classes, pulling out pranks and finding out new hideouts). Poor thing.

* * *

It took me roughly fifteen minutes to reach the station but the hopeless boy was nowhere to be seen. After seven long minutes, I heard his yelling. He was unusually excited with Happy around his shoulders as if giving him a piggyback ride (it looked ridiculous). He was grinning ear to ear waving three tickets (yes he pretends to buy ticket for the adorable blue kitten but Happy always ends up in my lap as Natsu take over two seats for his comfort).

After settling down, began the fidgeting... I could feel Natsu getting tense up as the departure time neared. I tried my best not to laugh as he paled on realizing the slow movement signalling an agonizing journey head. Happy purred near my feet as I picked him up, patting him, much to his delight.

The train was picking up pace and I didn't dare take a peek at Natsu's condition. I was taken aback when he requested me to change sides and take the seat next to him. I gave him a sceptical look. The last thing I wanted was to get covered in puke. But he looked so hopeful while requesting that I couldn't really say no. The thing that I can never quite refuse him is different though. I actually tend to avoid him while inside a vehicle. You know, better safe than sorry.

Leaving Happy alone (much to his dismay) I scooted over to Natsu's side. Slightly relieved Natsu contentedly sighed, resting his head on my shoulders. My whole being stiffened. I guess the sudden change in my demeanour was too obvious to notice as Natsu shifted, not completely detaching the contact, and asked whether it's problematic or uncomfortable for me.

On any other occasion if a girl's crush is concerned about her, she is supposed to squeal and adore him even more. But no, not in my case. Natsu is basically a very immature person, who doesn't have the slightest clue about the term- private space . So when Natsu asked whether his actions were bothering me, it was actually my turn to get worried.

"No. It's fine. As long as you don't vomit. Are you alright, though?"

Hearing my reply, he relaxed a bit, though his expression didn't quite change. It's an understandable fact that he tend to talk less in vehicles afraid of what might come out if he dares to open his mouth. Although he was wearing that hopeless expression of being in deep pain, bitten by a shark, stuck by lightening, falling into a bottomless pit... he was actually trying to talk.

"Is something the matter?" my voice was laced with genuine concern. He would normally go to sleep and order me to wake him up at the destination but this time he acted as though he needed something, trying to voice out something.

His eyes were downcast as he slowly mumbled, barely above a whisper, "I have been drifting away from my friends, haven't I..?"

 _Oh. You realized that now?!_

For more than once I have been angry on Natsu. However, I didn't have the heart to tell him when he flashed that goofy, boyish grin, that how much he has come to ignore us in the past few months.

He is just sixteen. Not a child, I know, but not old enough to handle relationships either, especially with his carefree nature. He couldn't make out time for his girlfriend as well as us, simultaneously. In a way, he really has drifted away...

I sighed, "Is this about what Sting said earlier?"

I cringed (mentally) at how rude it sounded. I would have answered him something soothing but I needed to know if it was his realization or some stupid brooding over others' sentences. Although I couldn't see his face properly, I could practically feel his eyes dilating. He sighed after a while and tried to speak but instinctively his hands flew near his mouth. I didn't scoot away.

Yeah I totally deserve the prize of the bravest person that ever walked on earth.

Instead of fleeing, I rubbed his back trying to calm his down. He relaxed considerably briefly giving me a look of gratitude. After gulping down water in quick successions, his pale, green face was returning back to normal. When he made a noise of protest at my hand's withdrawal from his back, I decided I could do at least that much for my bestie at his time of need.

After a good five minutes, when I was sure he avoided my previous question like a child and drifted off to sleep, my salmon haired friend startled me by speaking up the second time in that train ride—

"Ice princess and metal face have been showing disinterest in fighting me."

Wow. That was the first line of a conversation. Sometimes I wonder how come I am so close a friend of this stupid, _stupid_ boy.

"And is that why you're upset?!" I could barely control the giggle that threatened to escape.

"No."

Pain. There was pain in his voice. No, not the motion sickness. It was hopelessness, something that gained my attention in no time.

"Natsu..?"

"I'm so sorry Luce. I just... I... can't really say no to Lis whenever she asks me to do something or come over. I mean isn't that what boyfriends are supposed to do? I know I have even ignored you. Life's been a mess lately. Mom scolded me the other day for not picking up her phone. When I tried to reason out... she .. she said that I need not come home."

Vague. Everything he said was just an incomplete part of a sentence he was afraid to speak. However, his voice was quivering, and the motion of the train made it difficult to understand the reason behind it. I didn't realize when my hand made its way to pat his head as snuggled closer. The scene must have looked like the one in which a mother comforts her child who has just returned home after losing a match and scraping his knees.

I sighed for the umpteenth time that day, "How about you make things right now, huh?"

His hopeful expression was too much for anyone to turn him down. Not that I was gonna do that but due to his ignorance many of his friends have come to ignore him. I suggested forgetting about his previous mistakes which made him regret the position he was in now. He hesitated, of course, before declaring things were going out of hand.

He was definitely hiding something. Nevertheless, the train journey was surprising easy for Natsu since I engaged him in a conversation. He momentarily seemed to forget about his motion sickness and focus in handling the problems at hand, which definitely involved making up to Grandine. From his words it seemed like she was pretty angry.

* * *

Natsu was literally jumping out of joy and relief when his feet touched the ground while Happy followed his antics. If Happy was human they often would have been mistaken for twins. I merely laughed. The fifteen minutes walk from the station to his home was nothing out of the ordinary except for the fact that some children playing on in the park came rushing to him, strangling him half to death. It happens most of the time though.

Natsu suddenly stopped at the front door, hesitating (which was kind of ridiculous) probably pondering how to greet them after such a long period of separation (which was by the way a duration of only three months).

The journey itself had worn me out and Natsu's delay in opening the door wasn't helping at all. So like the independent woman I am, I shoved him aside with a fairly rough push and rang the doorbell at least a few hundred times quite enthusiastically and of course sneaked behind the scared salmon-haired teen after that.

Wendy answered the door, with an expression that was somewhere between anger and amusement. I would take that as a fact that she knew it was her ever-favourite brother whom she would meet for the first time in twelve weeks.

Her first reaction was to scold Natsu for being away for so long while Natsu just nodded listening to every complaint like the obedient brother he was. I merely acted as an amused spectator from the sidelines, petting a happy Happy in my arms. After the duration of seven to eight minutes Wendy finally broke down (like she always does) and wrapped her big brother while Natsu instinctively returned the gesture.

I smiled at this exchange when Wendy finally acknowledged me. She gasped letting go of her bother and rushing to me. When Natsu let out a comment on whether she had any intention of letting us in, the poor little girl made a mortified expression on the realization.

The moment we entered we were greeted by Grandine's scolding which was directed towards her husband. It seemed like Igneel had done it again i.e. considering the house a chemistry lab.

He has been working as a scientist for more than two decades now and recognised as a renowned researcher who is currently associated with FNRC (Fiore Nuclear Research Centre). He is astonishingly childish though. In fact the credit for the abnormality in his children's hair colour goes to him. Whenever I visit the Dragneels, they never fail to amuse me with their antics.

Faint smoke was coming out of the basement, which is literally the devil's den. No member dared to tread in that region cause more or less everyone has had horrible (and hilarious) experiences. Not because of Igneel of course but because of our curiosity and fascination regarding the strangely shaped machines, tubes and stuff.

The couple stopped mid-fight (or rather mid-world war) and stared at us as if we are zombies. We stared back. The staring contest lasted a few seconds before Igneel came rushing to me declaring how he couldn't thank enough for making an appearance to save him from his wife's wrath. Grandine too came forward, brushing off her husband's words (and mind you that's really a great deal of matter) and hugged me expressing her joy.

I was happy. Truly. There aren't much of moments that I have to count regarding the time I had spent with family. This house, the people, the atmosphere, the surrounding, everything screamed warmth and happiness, unity and strength, closeness and love. Hadn't I met the Dragneels I could have never believed such a place could exist cause my father hadn't given me any memory of a family that I could cherish.

Their eyes shifted to their son as united they spoke, "Oh! You are here too!"

A bark of uncontrolled laughter escaped my mouth Natsu directed a look of betrayal towards me.

They ushered us in their cozy nest as I could pick up the amazing smell coming from the kitchen. The little whale that just died in my stomach decided to expose my secret to the world as I tried to avoid eye contact with anyone. A laughing Grandine was the first to speak, "You guys must be hungry after such a long journey!"

Counting on mothers to save from awkward situations...

"Hell yeah!" the salmon-haired teen roared to life.

After a quick session of freshening up we found ourshelves at the table and not even a minute later chaos broke out. Hungry people with ketch-up smeared faces and fighting stances did their best to devour the heavenly food. No matter what we could never behave in a civilised manner cause _someone's hand always manage to slip_ and food fights gained grounds.

We laughed all the while and it's a miracle that none of us have ever choked.

After the lunch Grandine and Wendy disappeared into the kitchen to wash the dishes while I received stern looks when I tried to volunteer and Igneel went to chose films for the movie marathon.

"So, when are you gonna approach her?"

Natsu's eyes snapped towards me clearly understanding what I meant. He has been more or less avoiding his mother. He nodded, lost in deep thought, then disappeared into the kitchen while I went to help out Igneel. They needed their privacy.

After a good ten minutes the pair came out, Wendy came rushing out much earlier giddy with excitement to talk to me about the latest braid designs. Whenever I visited them Wendy would take such small coaching from me. Their faces were unreadable but the moment I nudged Natsu and he gave the his ever-assuring grin, I knew everything was in control.

After passing sarcastic comments and popcorns during the whole movie watching ceremony, we found ourshelves in the backyard during the evening talking about the most random things. Amidst this Grandine managed to ask a few questions that I always managed to dodge..

"So, how is Mr. Heartfilia, Lucy?"

My whole body went rigid. When Natsu squeezed my shoulder, I regained composure before telling with a shrug, "You know... minding his own business as usual," accompanied by a humourless laugh.

The pun was admirable but no one dared to laugh.

"When is the last time you saw him?"

Shrug. "I don't really remember.."

"Is he alright?"

"I'm sure he is. And even he is not, that's none of my business cause I don't remember him being present by my side when I was in trouble, e _ver..._ cause he thinks the only problems that you can face are the financial ones _."_ I practically hissed.

That shut them up. I sighed dejectedly as Natsu shifted closer to wrapping am arm around me. I didn't even want to talk about him. That just ruined the mood. Always does.

"I'm s—"

"Don't apologize. We understand." Igneel's stern voice left no room for argument.

I nodded.

"So why don't we call it a night?"

We all nodded this time.

Tugging my arm, the moment I tried to get up, Natsu demanded to know what he could do freshen up my mood.

"Show me your childhood photos." Decision made without losing a beat.

A groaning Natsu obliged as I followed him to his room.

* * *

"Hey! And when was _that_ taken?"

Natsu threw me a dirty look before replying the answer I knew too well, "When I had to _dress up prettily_ for mothers' kitty party!"

I laughed. It's hard not to after seeing a four year old Natsu dressed in a beautiful _pink gown._

* * *

The night could have ended that way. With new memories in my bag, no regrets, no tensions, without a care of this world but no. Of course not. It's me with whom we are dealing, right?

Just before I abandoned myself to peaceful slumber, my phone vibrated twice, demanding attention.

 _Sting._

My relief to see his message was too short lived.

 _Check this out._ The first message read.

Then a picture. Not just any picture. It was a picture of Lisanna.

Lisanna kissing someone.

Someone that definitely wasn't Natsu.

* * *

 **Okay, now** ** _that_** **took much longer than I ever expected... hoped you enjoyed it though!**

 **Thanks for all your support. My exams got over today and it was disastrous! High school days totally suck man.. oh! And to make matters worse this Monday was my birthday and I had physics test. Isn't that the greatest possible way to start the seventeenth year of your life? I just know how will I survive the next one and a half year, or the pressure after that...**

 **Back to the story. It's at last time for some complications, neh? *evil grin***

 **Feel free to suggest new ideas! sorry for such a short chapter though... I will try to update as soon as I can!**

 **Anyway guys, Till next time then! Stay tuned! (I know I'm asking for too much but stay tuned) *wipes a tear or two***


	5. Chapter 5

_Did you click this?_ _Where did you find her doing it?!_ _?! Is it authentic? Did someone else forward the photo?_ Thousands of unanswered questions swirled in my brain. So many things I wanted to ask him. However I settled for—

 _Is this photoshopped?_

To say I was disturbed would the understatement of the year. My eyes drifted off to Natsu's incoherently grumbling form, while he was busy cleaning up the mess of albums. My heart was drumming uncontrollably as an uncanny anxiousness crept into my mind. I guess my disturbed form was too obvious as Natsu startled me my poking my side with a look of concern stretched across his handsome face.

"What's wrong?" his voice held genuine curiosity, "You look... you look like you have seen my sixty year old neighbour naked.."

Instead imagining the gruesome situation and 'eww'ing I could barely focus on his words, my main attention on the ways to hide my mobile.

"Seriously, are you okay?" he tucked a stray blond lock behind my ear. The unwanted adrenaline rush won't subside. But as the situation screamed, it was not because of my crush's closeness but a certain blond boy who wanted to kill me by making me suffer a horrible cardiac arrest.

"Never been better."

And Natsu being.. well Natsu couldn't catch on the sarcasm.

"Really?" he had this mischievous glint in his eyes that screamed of the inevitable torture he was going to use against me to make me confess the horrible crime of lying to him. Uh-huh. This was a joke to him. His hands slid down the sides of my frame but the moment I tried to get away from his hold his hands tighten pulling me down from my half-sitting-half-preparing-to-run-a-marathon pose.

I shut my eyes down as he began taking advantage of my ticklishness. Wailing my limbs around like a mad woman, I laughed hysterically until tears brimmed in the corner of my eyes.

"So you are gonna tell me what's disturbing you or get in the newspaper headlines which would quote something like 'the girl who lost her life to ticklism' or..."

"Is that.. even a word?!" I managed to say between the fits of giggles.

"Well technically no but it will become one the moment a journalist uses it.."

Half-laughing-half-dying I managed to promise him to tell everything if he stops his devilish behaviour. He slowed down, not completely trusting me.

"Someone... someone just texted me.."

"Who?" I had absolutely no idea why Natsu was laughing maniacally too, whereas I was being attacked.

"St-Sting! Gosh Na—"

I didn't have to say _stop._ If I look back down the memory lane, vague memories of three-year-old kids playing the stupid game of yelling 'statue' and 'move' flood into my mind. I didn't have much friends of my age during the ever-sucking childhood of mine but I have pretty hilarious memories of pulling out the same tricks with randomly roaming maids in the Heartfilian mansion. In an attempt to stop suddenly, they messed up pretty badly.

When I uttered Sting's name Natsu's reaction was way too similar to surprised faces of those maids. He stopped too abruptly for my liking.

"Sting?" his jaw hardened. There we go again.. his ever-mysterious disliking towards the blond transfer.

"Why?"

 _Why?! That's all you have got Natsu to make my heart do gangnam style in my ribcage huh?_

I couldn't find my voice. Did I lose it? I feigned irritation as I tried to catch my breath, which barely gave me any time to prepare myself for any kind of stupid answer I was going to throw at Natsu. Stupid boys. Did they take oaths in heaven before landing in their mother's wombs that they'll do whatever it takes to make the female population's lives miserable?

What do I do now? What should I say? Because yelling 'Hey buddy! I just figured out that your girlfriend may be cheating on you and she is very passionate about kissing weird men with navy blue hair and mask-cum-hats, in your absence,' was definitely not an option.

"He may or may not have burned down his physics assignment?"

Natsu shot me a sceptical look... which I probably deserved. Even if he knew I was lying or something, he didn't show it. Shrugging off the matter with a (fake) disinterested look he threw himself at the bed which swallowed him whole. It probably took a few seconds before the sudden silence was broken by the sounds of soft snoring. Should I laugh or feel jealous?

Sighing I retreated to my room. Mission: peaceful sleep, cause really no one is more important than your sleep. Not even the probability of something horrible happening to your closest buddy.

* * *

The breakfast was quite unceremoniously eaten, the sadness of upcoming separation creeping into everyone's mind. Even Natsu was quite quiet considering the fact he is always smiling during any gloomy atmosphere to lighten the mood.

When Natsu disappeared into his room after having his meal I couldn't help but follow him. He has been acting weird since last night especially after hearing Sting's name. My blood ran cold as my stupid mind decided to switch on the replay button of the memory section of my brain, and in less than a second the photo that gave me a mini heart-attack flashed in front of my eyes.

Yes, it's true that I could never bring myself to like Lisanna in the past year but jumping to the conclusion that she has been cheating on my best buddy who had been loyal all along wasn't something I would do.

Last night barely gave me any sleep... Thanks to Sting. While I pondered upon the matter, more than once rage blinded my ability to think rationally. But I took pride being more matured than the rest and talking about this to Natsu without any proper evidence was absolutely a stupid idea in my opinion.

I didn't even realize when my legs took me to his room. It wasn't until my leg collided with the foot of the nightstand that I came to my senses. Letting out an unladylike shriek I whipped around my head to find me in the familiar surroundings. I sighed dejectedly feeling embarrassed for spacing out which soon turned into horror when I heard a boyish chuckle.

Turning around in inhuman speed the view of a seventeen year old teen wearing only a goddamn towel round his waist with the pink mane dripping wet, along with di-hydrogen monoxide droplets all over his bare chest attacked my eyes. I guess I was gaping at him quite hilariously. My eyes. Oh god, I'm too young to lose them. Not that the sight was a horrendous one of course but yeah you get the idea why I'm thinking about the safety of my eyes. His dazzling self was too bright for my lens to take...

A lazy grin danced across his face as his mind was preparing dialogues to taunt me. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that he has been watching me the whole time. My cheeks burned red upon the realization. The moment he opened his mouth I yelled an abrupt 'Save it!' which even startled Natsu as he stared at me, wide eyed as if I just travelled from Pluto. He ended up laughing.

"You know if you weren't my friend, I could have called the police by now claiming that you have been trying to harass me, blinded by desire, you crazy stalker!"

I wasn't even checking him out! Okay, maybe I was staring but I'm pretty sure it was like considering him my next murder victim. Oh! and trust me, I was pretty close to choke him using the very towel he was wearing.

"There are better ways of self-praising, kid."

He grunted in response. "Then what exactly are doing here, practically ogling at me?"

I knew that tone pretty well. It was flirty. However that was my least concern. Natsu Dragneel never ever flirted. Hell I doubt whether he knows what that even means and he never used that tone with me. Did he learn over the months while trying to impress Lisanna?

I felt a painful tug at my heart as sudden flashbacks took control over my brain. Lisanna. Of course he was not the same person, spending time with a girlfriend sure has its toll. He tried to keep the changes in his behaviour hidden, in an attempt to achieve normalcy but definitely he let it out subconsciously. I remind myself: the boy's got experience now.

A look of concern flashed through his face realizing my sudden silence.

"Hey Luce, I was just kidding, loosen up!" Was he squirming?!

A bark of laughter threatened to escape my lips as he looked anywhere but my eyes, clearly feeling embarrassed for having such a weird conversation with me. Wasn't he adorable? I let out a chuckle when his eyes sweep back to mine. It's really strange how this boy is able to divert my thoughts in less than a nanosecond.

"So why exactly are you here then if you have no intention of assaulting me?" His brow rose considerably.

"You have been acting pretty weird, Natsu. Seriously, what's your deal?! Why are you so hostile towards Sting? You are actually worrying me now."

His eyes widened ever so slightly and I see could confusion washing over him.

He let out a few incoherent words and of course my limited vocabulary didn't help to understand the language he invented.

A little pushing later he let out a frustrated groan. He sounded like a dying panda. After recovering from hearing the inhuman sound that Natsu let out, I looked at him expectantly.

"Let's just say we have quite a history… " his voice was barely above a whisper.

"And what exactly did that include? Cheating in baseball matches? Oh for heaven's sake Natsu will you stop being childish?!" my voice held a good amount of frustration.

"There's lot more to the story than you can imagine Luce." The sudden calmness in his voice was creepy. Totally creepy which send unwanted shivers ran down my spine.

Before I could ask him to enlighten me on the story he was talking about he shut me up declaring we were getting late for our scheduled train. His choice of subject change to divert the conversation filled with my curiosity was too obvious to notice.

Literally pushing me out of his room he slammed the door at my face. From across the wooden barrier his muffled voice could be heard which awfully sounded like that of going-to-be bride getting dressed for the wedding. I mean what's the fuss about?! He barely took two minutes to get dressed and suddenly he was acting like he had to dress for a ball. Damn fool.

Sighing I retreated to my room feeling like the defeated, dejected soul I was, preparing to go back to Magnolia, preparing to face Sting, preparing to get answers to countless questions that were doing break dance in my head.

* * *

Monday morning came hurling down unto me like a tsunami with hella lot of unexpected truths. It seemed like the journey sucked out my energy more efficiently than the best vacuum cleaner in town could suck up the dirt. Feeling like a blood-deprived zombie I remember dragging myself out of the bed, all the way to school.

The urgency to meet Sting had a greater impact on me than the desire to spend the rest of my life with my first and true love, my bed.

He had previously filled in that he, himself, took the photo, which almost sent me into serious kind of panic attack mode. Thanks to the exhaustion I couldn't bring myself to get super anxious about the fact. Then again, deep down, I was expecting that kind of a reply in the first place.

We didn't have any class together until third period but due to some reason he didn't seem surprise when I almost knocked him down near the parking lot. To say honestly, I ran like a mad woman behind the thief who has stolen her purse, the moment I laid eyes on Sting. I attacked with enough force to knock him down but that inhuman heartless bastard stood his ground, turning around with a smug look. His friends or whatever he called the waking skyscrapers beside him raised their eyebrows in surprise. I doubt whether any one of them knows me, the nerdy, unsociable bookworm.

"We need to talk." My voice lacked emotion, contrary to the urgency in my mind.

"Uh huh." He nodded, faking sincerity.

Muttering a quick 'see ya' he took hold of my elbow dragging me near the lockers.

"What's wrong with you?!" Okay. That wasn't supposed to be my question. Too much frustration and confusion by every passing hour made me snap. His shrug in response made me furious.

"Does this have anything to do with your anger towards Natsu?"

I knew he didn't forget about Saturday morning. I felt somewhat satisfied when his eyes widened as he looked at me incredulously.

"Are you, by any possible means, suggesting that I photoshopped that picture to take revenge for my insult?!"

Don't get me wrong. Yes, I liked Sting, the charming boyish nature, with an aura of playfulness, he even reminded me of Natsu. However, I couldn't help but to doubt him, I barely know him for a few months and I wouldn't be surprised if tried to pay back the salmon haired idiot for all those times he has misbehaved and treated Sting as an outcast.

I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose. Before I could utter a single word, Sting spoke up, "Save it Heartfilia, seems like the fairies still have no intention of trusting us even though the old man promised otherwise. Why is it so hard for you to believe me?! And even worse you are again trying to take the side of someone who doesn't give a damn about you or your feelings!"

I should have retorted back that Natsu did care about me and he should stop misunderstanding him but I had no right to... Natsu has bereft me of that option, after all he was unusually hostile towards Sting. As far as Lisanna is concerned, I don't give a damn about what she thinks about me.

An unknown fear crept into my mind as I saw Sting walking past me, anger evident in his features. Without hesitation I ran after him, tugging him by the sleeve and crashing my head in between his back shoulder blades muttering 'sorry' repeatedly. His tensed muscles relaxed after a few seconds as he slowly turned around.

He sighed, patting my head, ushering me towards a secluded corridor, away from the curious glances thrown at our direction.

"It's fine. You're right. We should confirm first. Maybe the girl I saw was Lisanna's twin sister from a parallel world?"

That got a laugh. He was such an adorable jerk.

"And how are we gonna do that exactly?"

Pulling out an imaginary gun from his pocket, he looked around before turning to me with a _ridiculous_ serious face and whispered, "Spying".

"You mean stalking." I deadpanned, trying to shoot him a warning glare.

He chuckled softly, "How about we find out what exactly we'll do after school today?"

I sighed, "The thing is Sting even if we follow her, we may not get our hands on anything productive. In case you've forgotten, if she's bitchy enough to betray Natsu, then she must be smart enough _not_ to meet the fuckboy when the pink-haired idiot is back in the town.."

"Wohoo, such colorful words, m'lady!"

I didn't even _try_ to hold back the instinctive roll of eyes. Sensing my annoyance, Sting spoke up before I could give him a speech on the side-effects of being casual about everything.

"Don't worry, if she is foolish enough to play with a boy like Natsu, then she is stupid enough to meet her secret entertainer very soon." He ended with a wink.

Momentarily taken aback, I stared at him in a very un-lady-like manner. He had a point. Wow. When did he become smart?

"After school it is then." I sighed yet again.

The worst part of having this conversation with Sting? It wasn't my call to make. God! I was such a terrible, _terrible_ friend. But I have my reasons. I couldn't tell Natsu about this. At least not now.

"Don't forget to bring cameras, Heartfilia!"

Despite the situation, I could feel my lips twitch upwards. Turning back, he made his way towards his first class on hearing the merciless first bell. As he disappeared in the sea of students, I couldn't help but feel lucky. I was blessed to have such friends. Even after so many insults, he is willing to help the boy who hold such a grudge against him. Illogical, mysterious grudge.

* * *

The first half of the school hours passed in a blur, with a few taunting looks from Mira who has gone to her _shipping_ mode, me and Sting being her latest victims and a crazy Juvia narrating her hopelessly-in-love-with-Gray stories. The recess was pretty unceremonious too, with Erza on the verge of killing Elfman for dropping her Strawberry cake and instead of helping him, we laughed. Of course we did.

Problem aroused when Sting had his special eureka moment in the fifth period.

There was this creepy looking new student with a sardonic smirk plastered on his face, who had such a presence which could make any mother's danger-sensor go crazy, switching on the protective side. The perfect villain type above the average face, navy blue locks straightened out as if subjected to electric shock, but what stood out the most was his tattoo, which ran right in between his eyebrows, down the nose, spread across his forehead. It was a horrible tattoo by the way.

Sting was sitting right beside me, hummimg a song which he probably learned from the aliens which visited him at night. The moment he laid his eyes on him, his pupil dilated prominently, as a look of recognition passed his features. All of a sudden his face broke into a grin as that of a Cheshire cat and let me tell you, I kinda winced sensing the upcoming calamity.

He literally started jumping around and I swear I thought he was mimicking Cameron Diaz from 'Knight and Day' as he started whisper-yelling, "He's the guy!"

It took me more than expected time to figure out what exactly he was trying to say. The new guy was Lisanna's choice of element which she planned on using, to betray Natsu. I vaguely recalled him introducing himself as Bickslow or something like that, my main focus being on searching Lisanna's face among the students. A few seconds later when my vision finally collided with Lisanna's form, she was trying her best to hide a smile and was that adoration in her eyes?!

Oh boy. This is gonna be so interesting. I could feel an unnecessary thrill rushing through my veins, as all possible ways of exposing her little secret popped in my mind. Alright. If my suspicions of Lisanna originally cheating on Natsu is confirmed, she's gonna pay a big price for toying with his feelings indeed.

I turned towards Sting who had the same expression as me but tried to control the excitement, fisting his hands and resting them at the edge of the desk. I almost laughed out loud seeing him, he was acting awfully like a girl. I mean why the hell was _he_ interested in someone's relationship? And moreover the one who hates his guts.

And suddenly like that my thoughts changed directions _. Why was he with me in this? Will it entertain him to watch Natsu getting hurt?!_

Our eyes met and the excitement was so damn evident in his bluish eyes. Seeing his childishness, it was hard to believe he could want someone's bad. No, Sting cannot be like that. Of course not.

When the bell rang, my eyes were strained by stealing glances at Lisanna and the new who by the way _sat side by side._ Getting out Sting suggested to skip the rest of the classes and of course I smiled sweetly at him before making my way towards the next class. I could hear him follow me, chuckling.

Walking together I noticed he was at least three to four inches taller than me. Damn height differences. I didn't even realize I was staring at him like a girl checks out a boy before he turned towards me with a goofy smile before speaking up, "I know you're smitten by my charms but your staring is creeping me out."

 _Got caught. Shit._

My cheeks warmed up in an instant as I deliberately avoided eye contact with the blond haired teen.

"Hey, is something bothering you?"

I was surprised by his concern.

"Why are you in this with me? Why are you helping me?"

Well, he asked for it.

He looked… like a gaping fish thrown out of the ocean kingdom. Regaining composure, he shrugged, "Maybe because I would get to spend more time with you."

Wow. I choked. On God knows what. His confession was blunter than the word blunt. Taking mercy on my spluttering form, like the kind hearted bastard he was, he decided to save me.

Laughing he spoke up, "Don't worry, I'm just bored of sucking blood from innocents. I'll go back to my vampires ways right after completing my role of James Bond here."

That dispersed the tension. I buried down the pang of disappointment that flickered through my mind for a second, because he was just joking the previous time. However he didn't answer my question properly.

"Hey, hey blondie! Don't over-think. If you're by any means wondering what my motives are, then let me tell you, there are no ulterior moves in here," he pointed towards his skull, "I really want to help you in this. Natsu deserves a lot more than a cheating slut."

"I.. I'm sorry. I didn't mea—" I tried to reason out. I didn't want Sting to think that I doubted him.

"I know." His calm and confident voice shut me up. He looked past me for a while before narrowing his eyes. Hastily muttering a 'bye' he turned around disappearing at the next turn of corridors. Following his sight, he looked behind, my eyes widening when I spotted Natsu making his way towards me. Why wasn't there any window nearby from which I can jump off?!

"Hey Luce!"

And there goes my plans of fleeing. I really didn't want to interact with him when I was plotting to expose his girlfriend behind his back.

"You free today? Can I come over?"

I was taken aback, "Don't you have plans with Lisanna?"

Me and my mouth. I mentally winced when an emotion dangerously close to sadness passed his eyes. It was gone in less than a second.

"Nah. She made plans already. It's cool though. This way we both can have time for our other friends."

I nodded in understanding. Good. If a distance is created between them, then maybe the pain on revelations will be lesser than expected.

"Wait! How many people are invited?!"

My over enthusiastic friends had this habit inviting themselves over my place, _without my consent._

"Depends on you." He shrugged, "Everyone or just us, like old times, we could hang out, laugh at the silliest jokes, watch movies and _eat!"_

 _Just us. That sounded perfect in my ears._ I almost laughed hearing the way he ended, always excited about food.

"How about old times?" my voice sounded too hopeful, just like that of a kid's when he asks his mother to buy oreo products.

"Just us it is then!" he gave me his ever-famous boyish grin. "See ya!"

I felt so damn giddy. Yay!

* * *

The moment the last bell rang, I rushed out of the class to meet Natsu. I cancelled my plans of stalking a certain somebody, by texting Sting to keep an eye on Lisanna as she _made plans_ as per Natsu's information, while I would take care of Natsu. This way I could manage both sides. Keeping track of Natsu as well as Lisanna. Perfect.

Sting has been continually texting me, assuring he would spy on her and keep me updated while it was strictly my job to ensure Natsu doesn't come to know about Sting's activities. I felt like an undercover agent, Sting being my partner in crime. It was ridiculous but fun at the same time.

After meeting up Natsu, I came to know that their merciless coach, a descendent of Hitler, had decided to prolong to baseball practice sessions for the upcoming tournaments and that he would be late. Damn, then so will be Sting. Natsu promised that he would come though. No matter how late it is. Seems like he was fed up of not being able to keep promises. Good for him. Maybe some of Grandine's advices were coming into action.

I sighed when Sting practically _ordered_ me to follow Lisanna till he was held up. I _had to_ oblige. The faster we get over with this, the better.

And guess what? My hard work paid off. After leaving the school, I did my part of duty, of stalking Lisanna and _she actually was with him_. They definitely didn't meet up right after school but in a café, a good two kilometers away from the school. So much of burning petrol for the bitch.

I was more than relieved when Sting texted that he would take over, I was already late for meeting Natsu. Evening was drawing in as the sky changed hues, turning a brilliant shade of purple and orange. It's strange how this two colors look so ridiculous together but manage to blend so damn well in the sky. Somehow it reminded me of me and Sting. Our fast growing friendship was kinda weird considering the fact we're practically enemies before.

But I knew, befriending Sting is one of the best decisions I've ever taken.

Texting the exact location of Lisanna I took a U-turn, rushing back in the direction of my apartment. I really, _really_ missed Natsu. He's really drifted apart from us in past months because of someone _who didn't give a damn about his feelings, toying with his emotions without a second thought._ It made my blood boil. I was so damn angry on the white-haired witch who practiced black magic.

It terrified me. The aftermath of this. How will it affect Natsu? Will he suffer from trust issues or stuff? Will he lose faith over relationships? Love?

Having these thoughts didn't have any meaning now. Do hell with the consequences. I've spent enough time thinking about this. This is now or never. He needed to know the truth and I needed enough proof.

* * *

Thank goodness it was one hour after my arrival that Natsu showed up. Sting, however, kept me busy, continually messaging me, entertaining me with his hilarious observations.

Sting: _she is laughing! So is he. He is totally creepy by the way._

Agreed.

Me: _take pictures! Take pictures!_

Sting: _the waitress is hot._

Me: _focus._

Sting: _right. She looks like a lost puppy, practically throwing herself at him. He laughs like a maniac and his canines are exactly like that of an untamed werewolf. Oh my god, they'll probably skin me alive or sacrifice me to the moon goddess if I get caught._

My shoulders shook in silent laughter.

Me: _we need evidence James Bond._

Then a series of pictures flooded in whatsapp profile. Wow. Seems like she was really into him. They looked happy together, as in _genuinely happy_.

I almost jumped out of my skin when the bell suddenly rang a mere thousand times.

Must be Natsu. To say honestly his delay made me wonder whether he was planning on ditching again. Even though I knew I would be hurt I refrained myself from calling him. He needed to learn this on this own. Keeping promises.

Quickly texting Sting ' _Talk to you later, Natsu's here.'_ I rushed towards to the door. I was so damn happy and excited. It has been like since forever we have hung out together.

"Yosh!" he greeted me with laughable enthusiasm, at the front door, "What's in the menu?"

I shook my head. As expected. "Well, hello to you too."

We were grinning like idiots. This was good. Making his way in, forgetting the bare minimum manners he had heard of, he propped himself on the coach, getting as much comfortable as possible. He hasn't change a bit in these cases.

"So what should we do? Does that old lady still live across the corridor.. who used to scold me for playing with fire?"

Oh. That was in middle school. Not much. Natsu was just pretty much insistent on killing me, by setting my kitchen on fire. When I nodded, his eyes lit up, "Perfect!—"

"No."

"But I didn't even say something!"

"NO." I glared at him, "Don't even think about it. I'm not going to steal her radio or keep dog shit in front of her door, _again."_

And just like that he started laughing. Yeah. We had some weirdest of memories together.

Composing himself, he got up with renewed vigor, his eyes scanning the array of movie collections in the wooden showcase right above the sleek, LED magic box.

"How about scary movies, Luce?"

Oh yeah, sure. Probably I would suffer a blockage in my coronary artery leading to myocardial infarction but I could sacrifice this much for you because I want you to have a good time. However, I settled for, "Fine, you heartless creature. Let's see who shrieks first!"

He smirked that screamed _challenge accepted_. Uh-oh. Why do I have a very bad feeling about this?

"Set it up." I said motioning towards the TV, "I've already ordered pizza. Want some cold drinks?"

He nodded vigorously. I laughed.

"I'm gonna get the glasses. Try not to break anything." I deadpanned.

Humming to myself I went to the kitchen to get the drinks. Why wasn't I surprised when I heard him yelling incredulously, "You have 'Conjuring 2'?!" Why I had it even after hating horror films so much? Well a classmate of mine, Flare, has recommended this movie and she was so damn much in love with it that she offered me the copy and insisted me to watch it no matter how much time it took.

Yeah. I hope you can guess how much creepy she is.

And of course Natsu had to choose that movie. It was eerily quite a few moments later. Did he die? Probably not. Better check up on him.

What I didn't expect on re-entering the drawing room was Natsu holding my mobile, more like clutching it. Oh, did I mention Natsu knew my password because I haven't changed it for the last century? Yeah, I was screwed.

Dread and horror filled my mind as I paled seeing his reaction.

Confusion, incredulity, disbelief. Emotions as such clouded his eyes.

Oh my god. Oh my god. _OH MY GOD!_

 _Did he read my texts? Did he know about me and Sting? What we were_ hiding? No _, he couldn't possibly know about it. He shouldn't. I'm dead. Did my soul abandon my body? Why did I feel like a jelly fish?_

Shit. Fuck. This couldn't be happening. I couldn't lose him, our friendship, our trust. It will leave both of us devastated.

And then our eyes locked. There was anger in his voice. I just wish I could disappear, go back in time and have been more cautious.

My mind completely stopped functioning when he spoke—

"What the hell, Luce?!"

* * *

 **Soooo… was the chappy worth the wait?  
Sorry for the delay guys. I couldn't have make it any shorter or else the flow of the story would've been destroyed. I wanted to bring in twists and highlight the characters' relations.**

 **I really like the character of Sting and his blooming friendship with Lucy. I would need this to make the dumb pink haired idiot realize her worth. So dear Nalu lovers, no need to worry.**

 **Please,** ** _please_** **do tell me about your opinions about this chapter. It's really important for me to know my reader's thoughts, so that I know I'm doing good or that I need to improve. And thank you for supporting me. Your excitement about the upcoming chapters is contagious.**

 **So what should I do about the next chapter? *narrows eyes and strokes imaginary beard***

 **Until next time then! Stay tuned for more. ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

"What the hell, Luce?!"

And just like that my blood ran cold. My body was kind of suffering from one of those sudden adrenaline rushes in which the adrenal gland let go its secretion in a painfully small interval of time, which shoots up through your body, mostly affecting the heart. And there was my poor heart, painfully constricted within the boundary of my ribcage, drumming _uncontrollably._

"W-What?" I managed to choke out. Points for not fainting!

"You ordered berry with arugula and prosciutto pizza?! Instead of a large one with extra cheese?!"

Oh my God. I'm dead, aren't I? How could I order someth—

 _Wait._ What?!  
"I said how could you—"

Oops. Guess I said my thoughts aloud. However that was my least concern. I didn't let Natsu complete his sentence though.

"I heard what you said." I was practically hissing in such a manner that could make a two-year-old run for his life. "So you're being over dramatic over flavours of pizza?!"

"It's not a trivial issue!"

"I suppose not... but how about asking me what I have ordered, instead for rummaging through my phone without a sense of privacy! It looked as if you saw a video of me slaughtering Wendy. For heaven's sake, Natsu please do be considerate from the next fucking time!"

I was panting, on the verge of collapsing, when I finished. Immense sense of relief washed over me as I took in the fact that Natsu knew nothing about my plan.

The pink haired idiot, however, was severely taken aback. Standing frozen in front of the sofa, he gently dropped the phone which bounced once before coming to complete rest. Letting out a sheepish grin, he scratched is head mumbling an apology for scaring the shit out of me. When he asked what he should do about the food, I simply glared muttering a 'whatever you feel like'. Instead of feeling guilty for a little longer, he took hold of my mobile and changed the order as fast as he could; he looked desperate.

Seeing my distressed form Natsu gave me a dubious look that kinda screamed at my face _what is that you are hiding from me?_ I don't blame the poor boy though. We had this unbreakable friendship since forever and we hardly hide something from each other but my reaction to him touching my mobile was a bit too similar to that of a girlfriend cheating on her partner or a student cheating in the exams.

I didn't let the anger subside though. Taking my mobile I dumped it at the far corner of my bedroom where it landed quite ungracefully first hitting the shelf adjoining to the bed, and landing on the pillow with a thud.

Poor thing.

Still fuming, I made my way back to the living room, propping myself on the divan at one corner of the room, finding the yellowish wall right next to it the most interesting thing on planet. Okay. Maybe I overreacted a bit but who wouldn't?! Hell even Levy doesn't touch my phone without asking for permission and she is that kind of best friend with whom I can share period problems or switch on our judgy mode to rate boys. And here I was, stuck with a crush, who had no clue about my crush, getting cheated on by his girlfriend, on the verge of blowing off my cover.

I didn't even notice when he inched closer to me until a sharp poke near my ribcage made me jump out of my skin. Gaining composure, when I went back to ignoring him, he decided he would do me the service of poking mercilessly until my sides hurt.

"Hey Luce." He whined. Why the hell did that sound so cute when I am supposed to be mad at him?! "I said I'm soorrrryyyy.."

My silent treatment was all that he received.

Poke

Poke. Double poke.

Pok—

"Would you stop that?!" I finally snapped.

Natsu seemed startled as he retreated his hand in lightening speed before muttering something incoherently. Adorable jerk. I started feeling bad for him though. This was supposed to be a get together just like old times, full of carefree and enjoyable moments, and here we were ruining prospects of talking for even once for the night.

His voice suddenly boomed out in the small room filled with uncomfortable silence, "How about we watch Disney movies? Your choices. Sappy or crappy I would pull through it!" He finished with renewed vigour, a hand on his chest, making it sound like the greatest sacrifice of the century. Well, I was a sucker for Disney movies whereas he was more interested in action thrillers where 'Fight! Fight' mantra is chanted more than a dozen of times. It was kind of a sacrifice after all.

When I raised my eyebrows, he grinned sheepishly, "Consider this a peace offering?"

"We are gonna watch Finding Nemo followed by Finding Dory and then Tangled and after that Frozen!" I declared without missing a beat.

He shot me a constipated look, "Haven't you watched them like ninety million times already?!"

I simply came up with a flat deadpanned look that clearly meant that I wasn't the one who offered a peace offering. He sighed mumbling something along the lines 'At least I would have pizza', while I simply rejoiced over the fact that I wouldn't have to go through the pain of watching horror movies.

The doorbell rang at least fifteen minutes later signalling the arrival of mouth-watering food. Natsu dashed towards the door, his eagerness for food as laughable as ever. Not bothering to ask me for money he shooed away the delivery boy by thrusting a few notes in his hands and coming back to the living room.

Nemo, in all is adorable glory, was being taken away while Natsu commented how stupid fishes were. I couldn't help but snort, trying to devour the slices and concentrate on the movie.

More than once Natsu has smacked my hand away from the food when he mentioned how he paid for the food and in spite of that he was getting tortured so cruelly. I simply couldn't understand how one cannot fall in love with Nemo.

After the completion of the first movie, he was literally begging me to at least change the genre and that he wouldn't be able to handle princess drama and romance and I would surely not like to take a vomiting Natsu to the nearest pharmacy.

Reluctantly, I agreed. We ended up watching 'Inside Out' and both of us had a gala time, thanks to Natsu's commentary. The moment _Joy_ started dragging _Sadness_ so that she could find the way back to headquarters, Natsu almost screamed exclaiming that's exactly how his mother dragged him out of bed in his kindergarten days. Or how it was his dream to visit a forest of French fries be it be in an imaginary land (I aggressively rolled my eyes on that), or how irritating it is when you play and replay a song in your head over and over again, so many times, that in the end, it ends up sounding like a chorus of dying animals.

The night was all too similar to the many times we have spent time together. Reminiscing the old times, my eyes had drifted off to Natsu's form more than once. I missed this version of him. He looked so relaxed, laughing more than usual, he seemed _free._ I wish he could act so freely, be himself, be the childish food-lover, ketch-up-dripping, messy kid, in front of his girlfriend too. It almost frustrated me to see him with her when he couldn't even express himself in front of her.

Oh the mysteries of being in an unhappy relationship.

However, I decided to let go of the matter for the time being. No point in pondering over something so irritating, when I had my laughing best buddy by my side.

* * *

It was almost midnight when my phone rang. It was the home landline.

The forgotten television, with continually changing scenes, was still on. We had fallen asleep midway our movie marathon mania. The empty pizza boxes lay abandoned in the floor while the mess of strangled limbs held me back from moving.

A logical part of my brain suggested I should free myself from our weird position where half of Natsu's body lay over me, his weight crushing me down, and that I should really receive the call. An illogical part wished to stay like that forever, because I was too damn sleepy and tired to move even an inch and I really didn't mind the seeing Natsu's adorable form with his pink mane scattered everywhere and slightly ajar mouth, when he was lost in his dreamland. Nope I didn't mind at all.

Howsoever, my brain forced my legs to get working and I ended up dragging myself towards the phone, careful enough not to disturb Natsu's peaceful slumber.

Once I let out a lazy disinterested 'hello', I started rubbing my eyes to get rid of the sleepiness so that I could hold a decent conversation with the person on the other side and not scare him off by implying I was as drunk as hell. Trust me, a drunk Lucy is better than a sleepy one, I can't even form coherent words when my brain is half-awake-half-dead.

Trying to focus on the words, I realized someone was sobbing on the other side, having difficulty to form words. Alarmed, I shook my exhaustion off before asking the person 'what's wrong'. After a good thirty seconds of bearing through the hiccups and half sentences, realization dawned on me as I recognised the voice. It was been more than two years since we last contacted. That, however, didn't make me forget who she was. In fact, the time I spent with her was still vivid in my memories.

It was Mrs. Spetto.

Someone who tried her best to lessen the haunting absence of my mother from my life.

I still remember the day when I announced that I would be leaving the Heartfilian estate in order to chase my dreams. She cried like a child for hours in an attempt to stop me. At the end, she ended up giving me advices on how I should spent my life and also ended up cooking two months' food for me. Half of it had to go down the dustbin of course but that didn't stop her from fussing over the silliest of things.

She may be a maid to the world but she was the closest thing I had to a mother.

Oh! And the fact she was crying over the phone didn't seem very comforting.

"What happened?! Are you alright?" I asked hurriedly, as the apprehension increased.

"Miss Lucy!" her voice sounded much clearer now.

"I think we both know who I am." No usual chuckle followed. Okay. Now I was really getting nervous.

"Can you come over, dear?"

Her assent was all too familiar but the urgency in her voice, the tensed tone and the sudden, absurd request was beyond disturbing.

I don't remember the last time I visited the mansion. I didn't wish to. She knew that, more than anyone else. So why was she calling me near midnight with such a ridiculous demand?! She better have a good reason for it.

"Depends." I mentally cringed on how rude that must have sounded.

"Please, just come."

 _But I don't want to!_ "Give me a valid reason to."

She was silent for a long time, so long that it made me wonder whether she fell asleep, which would be totally ridiculous by the way.

"It's about your father, dear." And just like that she started crying all over again.

I sucked in a breath. I was never fond of that man, who literally abandoned me when I needed him the most. Busy with his precious business, he forgot that there was a young person in his life who had no one but him after the death of her mother. He detached himself so damn much from my affairs that I cannot remember the last time I held a decent conversation with him. Probably when I was eight months old.

However, he was still my father.

"W-What about him?"

"H-He had a.. a c-cardiac arrest. He w-was in his office one m-moment and the next thing we k-know is hearing the sound of something s-scattering. When w-we rushed to the r-room, he was lying on.. on the ground, clutching h-his chest. He was in i-immense pain, Lucy.."

She was stammering way too much but I heard what I had to. It was eerily quiet after that. Finally, I mustered up the bare minimum courage to speak up, "Is he alright now?"

 _Please don't say he didn't make it or something as horrible as that. Please. Pleas—_

"H-he is under observation. The doctors assumed that it was ca-caused due to excess stress. H-he is growing old after all."

I sighed out of the relief that flooded into my system. He was alive. _Oh God! He was alive!_ Now I know I couldn't love him the way I loved my mom but being an orphan? Sounded awful. I couldn't abandon him the way he did. He was, after all, the only family I am left with.

"He h-has been asking for you ever since t-the incident, chanting your name over a thousand times. I know dear, he wasn't the best daddy ever, but I hope you're not stupid enough to believe he doesn't love you. Even when you are in another city, there wasn't a single day when he didn't think about you, worrying about you, depositing more than the necessary amount of money in your account every single month, so that you could afford the comfort you deserve. Come back. Even if it's for a day. Come home, darling. I have never seen him more lonely and helpless in my life."

And just like that I broke down. The anxiety and urgency in my mind to see daddy overwhelmed me. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss him. Hell, I would get jealous of little kids playing in the park, seeing their fathers fuss over them in an affectionate manner.

I missed him. I missed my home. I missed being a part of a happy family. I missed all of it so damn much.

In an attempt to keep myself engaged in my new life, I tried my best to forget about the place I came from. Now that the old memories began to resurface in inhuman speed, I allowed myself to be weakened by the desire of going back to my home.

I was quite for a moment or two, prolonging the time of my inevitable decision. My voice sounded much more broken when I spoke up.

"I'm coming back. I'm coming. I'm coming home." I might have chanted the same thing again and again. I stopped when I heard someone approving my decision before the line went dead.

I sat there, clueless like never before. You know you have those moments in your life when doesn't matter in what position you're in, you realize there is something that must get done? Yeah. I was having one of those moments. I said yes to her but now what?

I sat at the foot of the table, my knees bend at weird angles, the beeping sound of the dead line resonating through my skull, as I clutched onto the receiver, not being able to decide what to do first.

The first thing that came to my mind was to drive back home. The most sane thing to do right? Except for one problem, it was nearing one o'clock and it was a five hours drive from Fiore to Hargeon (my hometown). Now I won't like to become a ghost and come back to explain to my friends how exactly I got killed at the middle of the night, in a deserted high way. And waiting for the morning? I would die out of anticipation.

I let out a frustrated, strangled scream, roughly shoving down the receiver. A startled voice gained my attention, as I turned my eyes towards the couch. Natsu was rubbing his eyes like a sleep deprived new-born, shooting me a bewildered look.

Shit. _Shit._ I completely forgot about his existence for the last few minutes. Now what?! I can't tell him to leave at the dead of night. After all, his apartment was definitely not within walking distance range. Oh! the worse part? Natsu won't leave anyway if he hears why I am up so late.

"Why are you up so late?!"

And there it comes.

He made his way to my side, propping down beside me with a thud.

"Were you planning to kill me?" Natsu asked in the most serious tone he could muster up before looking straight into the eyes. The moment he did that, surprise shot through his eyes as he gathered himself, alarmed.

"Whoa, you look like a zombie. What happened? W-were you crying?!"

"Yup, my cheeks needed an urgent shower." I deadpanned.

Natsu, however, didn't look pleased. His eyes shifted towards the phone and back at me as he raised his eyebrows. "What's wrong, Luce?" he shifted even closer to me, fully awake and aware of the fact that I was going to deliver some kind of bad news to him.

Well, I had this option of telling him that everything was fine and he can go back to his dreams full of French fries and spicy stuff but what's the point? He _will_ come to know about everything and one thing will lead to another, he would get angry or hurt and be upset with me, ask me what friends are for and blah blah blah... I honestly had no time for that kind of teenage drama.

"My dad suffered a cardiac arrest."

I broke down, right on the spot, on hearing the horrifying truth in my very own voice. The realness of the situation was too much for me to take, it felt like someone was hurting me physically, as the heart constricted in my ribcage. Natsu straightened his back in less than a millisecond, kneeling in front of, his eyes frantic, as he raised his arms to take hold of my shoulders.

"What the.. who called you? How is he now? He-he is fine now, right?" He was fearing the very same thing when I had got the news.

"H-he is alive. Under observation. I don't even know whether he is conscious or not. What if... what if the case is more serious than it sounds?"

Don't get me wrong. I am an over-optimistic person but what kind of good thoughts can have the power to invade your mind when you're brooding over something so pathetically painful?

"Hey hey hey... Look at me." Natsu grabbed my chin so that my glossy eyes could form the blurry figure in front of me. "The old man will be fine. If he doesn't wake up when we go there, I will make him smell my socks. That gotta work right?" he finished with utter conviction in his voice.

I wanted to smack his head, instead I ended up nodding in agreement.

Realizing something Natsu had said, I turned to him, undeniable hope evident in my voice, "We?"

"Of course I'm coming with you!"

I didn't tell him he needn't come and that I can handle myself, I didn't refuse his offer to help, I didn't suggested that he should stay back and take care of my place while I was gone, I didn't tell him any logical thing that my brain suggested me to do.

I lunged forward, literally throwing myself at him, hugging him as tightly as I could. Recovering from the sudden jolt he held me in his tight embrace, patting my head the same way he does with Happy, assuring me that everything will be fine.

I have always known that.

Every storm will pass.

* * *

It was roughly a five hours drive from Fiore to Hargeon. It took us approximately three hours to cover the distance. Thanks to the deserted highways and Natsu's reckless driving.

Oh don't be surprised to hear that Natsu can drive. I've seen him popping at least six tablets in his mouth so that he could keep his motion sickness at bay. He couldn't do that often though, that's why he was terrible at driving.

When we reached at the mansion, the building wrapped in pin drop silence and pit-less darkness, we literally had to fumble our way round the garden in front of the house. Even after taking help of the flashlights from our phones, both of us got hit by numerous stuff(which I assumed were the statues) on our way to get to the front door. It took us ten minutes to cover the distance of twenty metre.

The lack of security was something I wasn't expecting, though.

I ringed the doorbell, twice, cringing considerably as the sound resonated through the empty space. Another ten minutes later, the door creaked open, the inside of the house wrapped in a similar blanket of darkness. The house was as unwelcoming as ever.

The lady who opened the door, switched on the hallway lights, and I found myself coming across a very unfamiliar face. Must be new here. She looked beyond irritated, though.

Looking sceptically, between me and Natsu, she spoke up, "Yes, how may I help at four thirty in the morning?" sarcasm was literally dripping from her voice.

"I'm here to see Mr. Heartfilia."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, "I'm afraid you'll have to wait till the morning. No one is allowed without proper appointment, so you better have one in the morning."

She was about to slam the door when I rested my hand on one of the sides of the enormous door, "And I'm afraid you might get fired if he hears that you didn't give the mistress of the house, a warm welcome." My voice was strangely clam, despite the threat in my voice.

Her eyes widened considerably when my words finally begin to sink in the stupid brain of hers. "Miss Lucy?"

Ah. So she has heard about me. When I nodded, she muttered an apology hastily, looking embarrassed, before swinging the door wide open. Natsu snorted beside as he made his way inside the house. Hesitating a moment or two, I followed suit.

Not much has changed, the sad walls craved for company, the pictures hanging round place constantly reminded of what has been lost, the hollow space seemed bigger due its emptiness, the home that turned into a mere house left my heart aching.

I didn't even realize when Natsu pulled me to his side, squeezing my hands, offering the best comfort that I could ask for.

"Let's go find your daddy."

"He is probably asleep."

He hmmed in agreement before suggesting that we should visit my room then. When I agreed, he let out a small squeal. After all this was the first time he was visiting my home.

Before leading him to my room, I decided to give him a quick look around the house. Turning around the corner, I let my instincts guide me to the main switch board. A triumphant moment later, I switched on all the possible lights to lighten up the place. The dim light from the hallways barely gave any idea of the actual form of the house. When light filled in from every side, I wasn't surprised to see the jaw dropping expression plastered on Natsu's face.

"This place is _huge_!" he exclaimed in childish awe, wailing his arms around, motioning to the entire living room.

"You've not seen even thirty percent of the entire estate."

His eyes snapped in my direction before he let out a loud 'Show me then!'

I laughed at his obvious excitement before letting out a sigh.

"How about you wander around for a while? Call me if you get lost. I'm going to visit mommy."

Natsu stopped his inspection before turning to me, with a sad smile on his lips. "Nah. I would rather visit Mrs. Heartfilia with you."

I raised an eyebrow at the obvious formality before leading the way to the backyards.

"So you've a personal cemetery too? Cool." Natsu spoke up when he realized that my mom was buried somewhere within the estate.

I wanted to strangle him to death. "There is nothing cool about it Natsu." I deadpanned. "Moreover, we don't have a space build up for zombies to party at night, in our backyard. It's just mommy."

He acted like a gaping fish after that. I knew he was just trying lighten up the mood but he really, _really_ needed to be careful about his choice of words.

The first of daylights peeked through the hills, situated far up in the eastern side. The night dispersed into nothingness as dawn began to set in. Well, that helped in having a clearer view of the well-kept backward.

The lone grave was situated inside the outdoor porch, where my mom has been peacefully sleeping for years now. It was as clean as ever, well-kept, surrounded by fresh flowers. The old inscription with _'loving wife and mother'_ along with her name, was prominent even amidst the fading darkness.

I decided to introduce Natsu to her. He was embarrassed to talk first but five minutes later we were engaged in deep conversation, with the pink haired friend of mine complaining about me every now and then and insisting my mommy to keep an eye on me.

He left after a while when I demanded to be left alone. I ended up sharing the stupidest of stuff that had happened in the past years and that how careless dad has become. I cried a lot after that. I always do.

Natsu came back to check up on me after a while exclaiming how Happy would love to visit the lake located exactly opposite to the grave, a good distance away though. Probably because of the fishes happily swimming around. When he didn't hear me laugh or retort, he let out a frustrated sigh declaring how he was willing to go on date with Gray, if that means I would crack half a smile.

"You have a permanent frown etched on your face, Luce. I hate seeing you like this."

"I'm visiting my dead mom and ill dad. Sorry if I can't laugh now. You shouldn't have come. This place is hardly gonna entertain you, Natsu. Sorry about that."

Okay. He meant no harm but I couldn't help but snap at him. I was to depressed to maintain civility in my tone. I prolonged the period before I could visit my dad. I know its ridiculous but what if daddy doesn't want to see me?

Regret filled in my mind when I saw Natsu standing awkwardly at the end of the steps of the slightly elated ground, searching for the best way to apologize. Making my way to him, I muttered a 'sorry' before patting his head. His eyes light up as he caught on the opportunity to engage me in a conversation. I warned about how it was going to get even more boring while he shot me a hurtful look, "I'm _not_ looking for any kind of _entertainment,_ Luce."

I didn't have the chance to say anything back as Mrs Spetto, crying like a three-year-old kid who just broke his toy, came rushing to backyard right after, kissing my entire face, hugging and releasing me in quick successions, exclaiming how different I looked, and scolding me for not informing her about my arrival.

Natsu's existence came into being quite later while she shot me an amused look, "And who might be this young gentleman?"

"Someone who doesn't deserve the title of a gentleman." I said without missing a beat. Natsu shot me a look of betrayal before introducing him.

"Oh. Your father will be thrilled to see you darling!" she squealed.

"You've no idea how mutual the feeling is." I muttered dryly.

Pretending not to hear me she offered refreshments for us. I refused saying that I would rather meet my daddy first. She obliged with a slow 'Follow me then.'

* * *

My dad looked like a mess. _A complete mess._

God. I wanted to cry. And hug him. And scold him. I ended up standing with a blank look across my face at the end of the bed, my knees toughing the edge of the bed.

Tangled up in a mess of transparent narrow pipes and scattered pills, my dad was breathing heavily, his eyes closed. No usual aura of authority, no dominance, no anger, no sophistication. Wrinkles covered up a good portion of his face. Wow, Mrs. Spetto wasn't kidding when she said he was growing old.

There was a nurse at one corner, who as per instructions, went to wake up my dad. His eyes snapped open when he heard the news of my arrival, instinctively stretching his arms towards me. It was so, _so_ odd to see him like that.

I didn't move an inch.

"How.. how have you been, my little princess?"

He always used to call me by that name. Well, at least uptil I was four and mommy was alive. I nodded stupidly before muttering "Good."

"I should have fallen ill before if I knew this would bring you back."

"I'll be going back today itself."

He smiled sadly at my lack of effort to continue any sort of decent conversation.

A moment of silence later, "Are you still concentrating on business in this condition? And don't dare lie, I heard you still allow people to get appointments with you." I managed to croak out in what you would call a very accusatory tone.

He tried to explain how it was necessary for the Corporation to function properly. When I shot him a hard look, he muttered a quick 'sorry' and promised to minimize his duties as much as possible. A few small exchanges later he spoke up in a longing voice, "Aren't you going to hug your daddy?"

I couldn't help but oblige this time. Throwing myself on him, my entire being shook violently as successive sobs left my throat. I was crying like anything. I have waited so long for this moment. As a child, I dreamt of the day when my daddy would stretch his arms open, calling me to rush to him and I would run to accept the embrace. That dream never came true. Until today. I feel terrible while saying this but I was kinda happy that this happened to my father. Maybe he realized how insecure life is. Maybe that made him realize that he should learn to cherish what he has instead of mourning over something lost forever.

My dad was patting my head which did nothing to lower the intensity of my cries. I knew dad was crying too and so was Mrs. Spetto.

From my peripheral vision, I caught unto Natsu's form, who awkwardly stood near the door, debating whether he, too, should start crying or not. Even amidst the river of salty liquid that threatened to drown us, I barked out a laugh motioning him to come inside.

My dad caught on the movement as he noticed Natsu for the first time. Reluctantly letting me go, he narrowed his eyes at the _third_ person.

"And who might this be? Your boyfriend?" the authority returned in his voice as he inspected Natsu, his eyes lingered on his hair for a few seconds more.

 _Oh! how much I wanted that to be true._

Natsu's eyes widened considerably but before he could say anything I spoke up, "I'm not that inconsiderate to give you another heart attack, dad." I deadpanned.

He didn't look convinced though as he attacked me with a series of question and prepared to do the same with Natsu.

I sighed when he wasn't satisfied by the thousand denials that left my mouth. Man, it was going to be a long day.

* * *

 **Soooooo... that was faster than normal updates, neh? A little Nalu, a little sneak-peek into Lucy's personal life— this chapter was mainly a distraction for Lucy from Lisanna related problems cause as much as I would love to break them up I wouldn't want Natsu to misunderstand Lucy.**

 **With a little episode of 'Natsu meets Lucy's father' I would be finally** ** _, finally_** **introducing Lisanna in the next chapter. Thank you guys, for all your support. Its your responses that encourages me to continue. So, Don't forget to review!**

 **Stay tuned for more! Till next time then. See ya! ;D**


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